I’m not an attorney, nor do I play one on television or anywhere else. I’m a mere mortal struggling to understand the gazillion laws that are increasingly used to undermine common sense, rationality, justice, fairness, fundamental rights, and the safety of girls and women. Case in point: The Wheaton Park District in Wheaton, Illinois, home of Wheaton College, which was founded by abolitionist Jonathan Blanchard who when running for president in 1884 had asked Frederick Douglass to be his running mate.
Late last week, Wheaton residents learned that the Wheaton Park District had quietly—and absent any vote by the board of commissioners—changed its restroom and locker room policy. In response to a query, Daniel Novak, Director of Athletics and Facilities, wrote,
At Wheaton Park District facilities, patrons may use the restroom/locker room that corresponds with their gender identity.
This was a shock to many residents not only because it violates common sense, decency, justice, and the safety of girls and women but also because it violates current park district policy Sec. 2.8 on the Use of Restrooms, Washrooms, and Locker Rooms, found in the “General Use Ordinances” (page12), which prohibits anyone over age 5 to “enter into or remain in any restroom, restroom washroom, or locker room designated for the opposite sex.”
In addition, the Illinois Human Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on sex, “sexual orientation,” and “gender identity” states the following:
775 ILCS 5/5-103) (from Ch. 68, par. 5-103) Sec. 5-103. Exemption. Nothing in this Article shall apply to … Facilities Distinctly Private. Any facility, as to discrimination based on sex, which is distinctly private in nature such as restrooms, shower rooms, bath houses, health clubs. (emphasis added)
Park district officials cite park district attorneys who subordinate statutory law (i.e., the Illinois Human Rights Act) to case law, citing two cases: 1. the ACLU’s successful lawsuit against School District 211 (Maday v. District 211) which resulted in boys who pretend to be girls being given the legal right to “unrestricted access” to girls’ private spaces, and 2. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. v. Sommerville, a lawsuit that resulted in employers being prohibited from discriminating based on either sex or “gender identity” in bathroom usage policy and practice.
If radical case law pertaining to sex and “gender identity” prevails, it ineluctably results in the eradication of all sex-segregated private spaces for everyone.
If businesses, schools, and park districts are legally prohibited from “discriminating” based on either sex or “gender identity” with regard to bathroom and locker room usage, then there is no legal way to prohibit “cisgender” men—also known as normal men—from fully accessing women’s private spaces. That includes using those spaces exactly as women use them. If women can be undressed in women’s locker rooms, then so to will men be free to be fully undressed in women’s locker rooms. If the Wheaton Park District allows biological man Bruce, who identifies as transgender Caitlyn,” to use women’s locker rooms, on what basis could they prohibit biological man Jeffrey Epstein who identifies as “cisgender” from using women’s locker rooms?
Park district officials couldn’t argue that Epstein can’t use women’s locker rooms based on the fact that he’s a biological male because they have already said they can’t take into account (i.e., “discriminate” based on) sex. In addition, they’ve already allowed biological male Bruce/Caitlyn to use women’s locker rooms. And they can’t prohibit Epstein from using women’s locker rooms based on the fact that he’s “cisgender” (i.e., not “transgender) because they have claimed they can’t discriminate based on “gender identity.” In other words, they have claimed that they are prohibited from taking “gender identity” into account in bathroom/locker room usage policy. Do you, Kind Conservative Readers, understand you’re being played? While the “LGB” and “T” communities have been playing a methodical long game of 3D chess, conservatives have been gullibly playing tiddly winks.
We didn’t collectively fight fiercely to keep the terms “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” out of anti-discrimination policy. With rubbery spines and endless milquetoasty rationalizations, we allowed leftists to fallaciously and absurdly compare homosexuality and cross-sex impersonation to race. And now we have no way to maintain any sex-segregated spaces or activities anywhere for anyone. Welcome to the brave new co-ed world.
The only way to stop this madness is a ferocious, sustained, courageous public outcry and/or lawsuits. Let’s hope and pray that there remain at Wheaton College some intellectual and spiritual heirs of Jonathan Blanchard who will stand as courageously for truth about biological sex as Blanchard stood for truth about race and who will defend the rights of women as tenaciously as Blanchard defended the rights of blacks. The next board of commissioners meeting is on June 21 at 5:00 p.m., 303 Wesley Street, Wheaton, in the Wheaton City Council Chambers. The public is welcome to attend and make public comment.