There’s a growing clash between Illinois state officials and the Trump administration over transgender athletes in girls sports. At the heart of the issue is whether federal or state law takes precedence—and what consequences Illinois may face for its decision.
Key Facts:
- The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) says it will not follow Trump’s executive order banning transgender athletes in girls sports.
- State officials, including Attorney General Kwame Raoul, claim Illinois law mandates access based on gender identity.
- Illinois Republicans, led by Rep. Blaine Wilhour, are urging local school districts to ban transgender athletes from girls sports.
- Federal officials have launched a Title IX investigation into a Deerfield school district following a locker room incident involving a transgender student.
- Illinois is mirroring Maine’s defiance, which has already resulted in federal funding cuts and legal action from the DOJ.
Rest of the Story: Legal Battle Over Transgender Athletes in Girls Sports
The IHSA publicly announced it cannot comply with Trump’s executive order without violating Illinois state law.
The organization is seeking legal clarity after state authorities, including the Illinois Department of Human Rights, confirmed that the Illinois Human Rights Act protects gender identity in school athletics.
IHSA Board President Dan Tully said the group is caught in an “untenable position” between state and federal directives.
Republican lawmakers in Illinois disagree, arguing that this stance puts biological girls at risk.
They want school boards to take matters into their own hands and adopt local resolutions banning transgender athletes.
Meanwhile, a Deerfield mother filed a federal complaint after alleging her daughter was pressured to undress in front of a transgender student.
That incident prompted a Title IX investigation by the Department of Education and further ignited the legal and political firestorm.
Title IX violation……IHSA and @GovPritzker have chosen a path to allow biological men in womens sports! This will have serious repercussions down the road…..@Riley_Gaines_ @laurel_libby @AGPamBondi pic.twitter.com/4SUaw5gasa
— Adam Niemerg (@adamniemerg) April 17, 2025
Commentary: States Like Illinois Should Lose Federal Funding
Illinois has chosen ideology over fairness.
By defying a federal executive order meant to protect biological girls in sports, the state is signaling that woke politics outweigh the safety, privacy, and integrity of young women.
The IHSA’s attempt to play both sides—claiming neutrality while siding with state directives—is cowardly at best.
Governor JB Pritzker has made it clear: he doesn’t care if girls are harmed in the process.
His administration’s policies expose young women to uncomfortable, even dangerous, locker room situations under the guise of inclusion.
Parents are right to be outraged.
Girls deserve privacy and fairness. Period.
The Trump administration needs to act decisively, just as it did in Maine.
If Illinois refuses to follow federal rules, then the state should face the same consequences—starting with losing federal funding.
Money talks, and there’s no reason taxpayers in other states should bankroll Illinois’s refusal to protect basic fairness in girls sports.
Democrats have made transgender athlete inclusion a hill they’re willing to die on.
But they’re out of step with the American public.
Poll after poll shows that most Americans believe biological males should not compete in girls sports.
This issue is quickly becoming a political flashpoint, and Democrats will pay the price in the next election.
Republicans should not back down.
Local control and parental involvement are key.
It’s time to push back on radical gender ideology and restore common sense to school policies.
The Bottom Line: Illinois Risks Everything to Protect Ideology
Illinois is following Maine’s lead by openly defying federal orders to keep transgender athletes out of girls sports.
But unlike Maine, it hasn’t yet faced the financial consequences. That may soon change.
With federal investigations underway and mounting pressure from lawmakers and parents, Illinois could soon be the next battleground in the fight for fairness and integrity in school athletics.
The stakes couldn’t be higher—for girls, for schools, and for the future of American sports.
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