It seems an odd place for woke ideology and degenerating ideas of gender, sexuality, and basic biology to play out, but even public restrooms are not safe with leftists in the Illinois state house. Even as some businesses and schools have opted to make available unisex bathroom facilities, this has not been required by law. But that may be about to change.
Wednesday, February 22, State Representative Katie Stuart (D-Collinsville) of Illinois’ 112th district will bring HB 1286 before the House Human Services Committee. Among other things, this bill would require that in places of public accommodation—both new construction and buildings undergoing an expansion of more than 50 percent of their existing space—there must be an all-gender, multi-occupancy restroom with signage indicating such. If the restroom designated for all genders is located “adjacent or in proximity” to another multiple-occupancy restroom, that too must be designated for all genders.
State health and building inspectors would be responsible for making sure buildings comply with these regulations, with the health department setting rules to implement the changes. Every Illinois county board would also be required to submit to the General Assembly a public restrooms report by the end of 2023.
As written, this bill represents ongoing big-government overreach into what should be straightforward building requirements based on biology and statistics or, said another way, the SCIENCE progressives are so fond of wielding when it serves their purposes. Beyond this blatant use of regulation to advance a social agenda, there are other, less obvious potential consequences if it is passed into law:
- Churches, synagogues, and mosques are not typically treated as places of public accommodation, however, if they rent their space for weddings or other events, they could run afoul of this legislation. For houses of worship that teach a view of gender that, until very recently, was not in question, freedom of speech and religion would come under threat. Churches, synagogues, and mosques could face having to decide between faithfulness to their religious texts and bowing to Springfield.
- Besides the risk HB 1286 poses to religious liberty, the cost of such regulation must also be considered. With Illinois in dire fiscal shape, it’s amazing that Rep. Stuart can, with a straight face, put forth a bill that will require state agencies and county offices to spend more money on what amounts to no more than the regulatory expression of cultural and emotional whims. If passed, this law would also place an even greater financial burden on business owners who already struggle under Illinois’ growth-killing regulations.
- Apart from the clear Constitutional, legal, and financial pitfalls of such a bill, it presents real dangers to the individuals using these all-gender bathrooms. In multiple cases, most recently in a Virginia high school, we have seen the worst-case scenario of opening up to biological males what should be women’s private spaces in the name of tolerance and equality. The current cultural trend toward eliminating biological sex disproportionately impacts women and girls, endangering and effectively erasing them. This ill-conceived bill is no exception.
As the nation continues to be swept along by the godless, nonsensical transgender wave, parents, grandparents, and concerned citizens of all stripes must stand up and say, “no further.” Legislators may seek to advance laws that reflect the flavor of the moment, but as believers in a God who created man and woman in His own image and called them “good,” we can and must hold them accountable for anything that says otherwise.
** UPDATE (2/21/2023): The Illinois House Human Services Committee passed this bill out of committee by a partisan vote of 6 to 3. You can watch the short 6 minute video of the hearing at this YouTube link.
Take ACTION: Click HERE to send a message to your local state representative to ask him/her to vote against this legislation when it comes up for a vote on the House floor sometime this session. Urge them to reject this foolish woke agenda that fails to recognize biological facts. Ask them to protect the privacy, dignity and safety of all Illinois citizens.
Please, speak out against this destructive bill.
