East Central Reporter

State Rep. Chris Miller (R-Charleston) spoke at a rally held July 13 in Springfield in support of a teenage swimmer – Abbigail Wheeler. 

Wheeler said she was kicked out of her local YMCA after raising concerns about a biological male using the women’s dressing room.

“If biological males don’t want to change in front of other biological males – then let them change by themselves in a gender-neutral bathroom,” Miller said according to The Center Square. “If it is wrong to require biological males to change in front of other biological males because they are uncomfortable then why is it OK to disregard the feelings and concerns of biological women who don’t want to share their private spaces with naked men." 

The teenager later faced consequences and was ejected from the swim team.

“I was made to feel as though I was in the wrong,” Wheeler said. “I was made to feel as though there was something wrong with me feeling uncomfortable changing in the women’s locker room where biological men were being allowed to undress in the same space as me and my underage teammates.” 

The issue has sparked a debate about the rights and comfort of transgender individuals in gender-segregated spaces, with some advocating for gender-neutral facilities and others arguing for the protection of women and girls in locker rooms.

“If it is wrong to require biological males to change in front of other biological males because they are uncomfortable then why is it OK to disregard the feelings and concerns of biological women who don’t want to share their private spaces with naked men,” Miller said. “Of course, the only solution the radical left will allow is the one that forces young women to share their locker rooms with men.”

The July 13 press conference garnered the attention of former NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines. Concerns have been raised about the potential infringement upon the rights of female athletes, as well as the potential for privacy violations and discomfort for the girls involved.

“At the beginning of the normal swim team practice, coach Totura and Kenzie Primus, Branch Director of the Kerasotes Branch (westside) pulled all the girls aside for a meeting to discuss the hanging of the signs,” Dan Wheeler said, according to Breakthrough Ideas. “They indicated that this was not acceptable, and it was 'hate speech.' My daughter approached coach Totura immediately after the meeting and indicated that she was involved in the hanging of the signs. She said that she did this because her previous attempts to correct this were dismissed by the YMCA staff and her coach. Coach Totura said that this was hate speech; she was not allowed to participate with the swim team; and was asked to leave the pool area.

Miller is the chairman of the Illinois Freedom Caucus, which set up the press conference.