The Illinois Freedom Caucus held a press conference in the afternoon of Thursday, July 13th in order to bring attention to the misogynic woke fiasco at the Young Men’s Christian Association, better known as the YMCA, in Springfield, Illinois. Specifically, these state lawmakers gathered in support of 16-year-old Abbigail Wheeler who was forced to share a locker room with a biological male and then kicked off her swim team after she complained about it.

To be clear, Abbigail tried to get the attention of her coach and other YMCA officials three times, but they scoffed and mocked her. Most sensible people would be upset by this, as she was. So she and a teammate put up signs in the locker room that said “Women’s Rights,” “Biological Women Only,” and “SafeSport” in order to warn others and draw attention to this very inappropriate situation.

The YMCA accused Wheeler of hate speech and banned her from the swim team, pointing to their policy that states “all individuals, regardless of gender identity, are welcome to use the facility that corresponds with their gender identity.” Wheeler and her family responded by saying that that they are the ones who are being discriminated against because they are not transgender.

Abbigail, her older sister Caitlyn, and her father Dan spoke at the press conference, making it clear that they are not intimidated by the name calling and bullying. Speaking after Abbigail, Caitlyn did not hold back, saying:

“Riley Gaines is a former teammate and a good friend of mine… She encourages people to take a stand and speak out. We need more people to take a stand. Women have been told to stay silent, but we mustn’t stay silent. We must speak and speak loudly. And it can’t just be women. We need men, fathers, sons, brothers to stand with us.

“Parents, you need to wake up. If this does not infuriate you, or deeply bother you, or you feel you can’t do anything about it, you are a part of the problem.

…

“Now that you know Abbigail’s story, if you’re not doing something about it, you are guilty of allowing it to happen. And if it is not knocking on your door already… it will. And when it does, it will be too late. We must protect our children and we must stand up for our freedoms or they will continue to be stripped away.”

Other speakers at the press conference included State Representatives Adam Niemerg (R-Teutopolis), Chris Miller (R-Charleston), David Friess (R-Red Bud) and Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville). Please watch and share:

To view a transcript of this press conference, click HERE.

Former Illinois Republican gubernatorial nominee and State Senator Darren Bailey issued a statement stating unequivocally that he stands in support of Abbigail “and her unwavering commitment to truth and fairness in the face of injustice.” Bailey continued:

“Young competitors like Abbigail should be able to enjoy swimming with her friends instead of being forced to do the job the adults in Springfield and Washington have failed to do, which is to protect her rights to privacy and safety. We must oppose the dangerous woke agenda, reject politicians appeasing radicals, and protect our values and children’s innocence. I will always stand with and support brave students like Abbigail, parents, and ordinary people fighting for what’s right. As a father and a grandfather, I believe young girls like Abbigail deserve fair competition and a sense of safety. Biological males attempting to use the girls’ locker room need help, not access to our daughters. It is high time to stand up, demand common sense prevail, protect our families, reclaim our country, and restore our future.”

Congresswoman Mary Miller (R-Taylorville) also issued a statement in support of Abbigail, saying:

“The YMCA should immediately reverse their decision and apologize to this young girl and her family. Men should NEVER be allowed to violate young girls’ locker rooms and bathrooms. Any adult coach or organization like the YMCA that allows this to happen because of radical leftist politics should be ashamed of themselves…”

The YMCA and other woke activists demand that we believe that men who masquerade as women are women. Thankfully, as this press conference demonstrates, there are many of us who reject deceptive ideologies. The YMCA should be ashamed of itself for failing to protect a teenage young lady. Instead, they should be supporting the bodily privacy and dignity rights of all women, instead of disregarding or mocking the rights and reasonable concerns of their patrons.

The situation has attracted national attention, and it has become a flashpoint in the debate over transgender rights.

Take ACTION: Send a firm but kind email to the Springfield YMCA rebuking them for failing to protect women’s privacy and dignity in their locker rooms: Info@springfieldymca.org. You may want to point out that biological sex is meaningful and not subordinate to personal “feelings” or imagination.

More ACTION: Send a quick note of thanks to the Illinois Freedom Caucus: info@illinoisfreedomcaucus.org

More ACTION x2: Write a short letter to the editor of a local newspaper in your community to decry these woke attacks against women by sexually confused men and their allies.

Learn More:

In a speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, Congresswoman Miller spoke in support of this young girl, her family, and in defense of our daughters from radical transgender policies. You can view her full remarks in the video HERE.

No Common Sense (IFI)

Riley Gaines Fact Checks Transgender Claims as Democrats Push For ‘Gender Identity’ as Protected Class (The College Fix)

Biden Admin Pushes Transgender Medical ‘Care’ While Quietly Bankrolling Research Showing Its Risks (The Federalist)

Trans Activist Wants Uterus So He Can Have Abortion (The Stream)