Culture and Social Issues

‘I Was Laughed At’: Young Girl Who Says She Was Forced To Share Locker Room With Biological Male Speaks Out

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• A YMCA in Springfield, Illinois, allegedly banned a young female swimmer after alleged “hate speech” and questioning a transgender locker room policy.
• The swimmer spoke out at a media conference Thursday alongside her sister, a former NCAA swimmer and former teammate of Riley Gaines. They spoke alongside Illinois Freedom Caucus members who showed opposition to the transgender locker room policy and called on the YMCA to reconsider. 
• “When I asked my coach how long they knew that biological men were changing in the women’s locker room, I was laughed at,” Abbigail Wheeler said. 

A high school swimmer who voiced opposition to sharing a locker room with a biological male spoke out after allegedly being banned from the YMCA and kicked off the swim team for her opposition, according to testimony given at a media conference.

Abbigail Wheeler, a 16-year-old swimmer and sister of Kaitlynn Wheeler, a former NCAA swimmer and teammate of women’s sports advocate Riley Gaines, gave a speech outside the Springfield, Illinois, YMCA she was allegedly banned from and criticized YMCA officials for their actions. Wheeler alleged that she faced opposition from the YMCA for posting signs around the locker room and for vocalizing her opposition to YMCA leadership, and that she was laughed at and ridiculed by YMCA officials.

“I went into the women’s locker room to use the restroom. As I was headed to the stalls, I witnessed a man sitting next to two adults who were sitting on the changing benches,” Wheeler explained.

“After seeing the man in the women’s locker room, I was scared and upset. I decided to leave immediately because I was alone with them and felt very uncomfortable. I went to my coach Alex Totura and told him that there is a man in the women’s locker room. He responded that he was aware of it and there was nothing that he could do,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler then described another incident where the same person was allegedly in the restroom in April and said that she changed in her towel, as not to become completely undressed, and didn’t say anything about the occurrence to anyone. (RELATED: Trans Swimmer Lia Thomas Beats Out Female Competitors By 1.75 Seconds In NCAA Championships)

“On May 10, I spoke again to my head coach Alex Totura and the CEO of the YMCA, Angie Sowle. When I asked my coach how long they knew that biological men were changing in the women’s locker room, I was laughed at and told that, I quote, ‘transgenders have been around a long time,’ and I replied, ‘that is not what I asked,’ and restated the question,” Wheeler said.

The YMCA allegedly banned Wheeler after questioning the policy and posting signs around the women’s locker room which read, “Women deserve to be safe here.” YMCA officials allegedly kicked her off of the team for the signs, calling them “hate speech.”

“I saw something that was obviously wrong, and I told my head coach, someone who I’m supposed to trust,” Wheeler said with tears in her eyes.

The Independent Women’s Forum and the Illinois Freedom Caucus held the press conference for the swimmer Thursday. Illinois State Reps. Adam Niemberg, Brad Halbrook and David Friess all spoke at the conference.

“Folks, we’re all aware of what’s happening nationally as young women are being targeted just for daring to speak out against biological males not only performing in men in women’s sports but also being allowed to invade their locker room,” said Niemberg.

“We are here today because we no longer have the luxury of pretending this is somebody else’s problem,” Niemberg said.

Former NCAA swimmers Paula Scanlan and Kaitlynn Wheeler also spoke about their experiences with swimming with Lia Thomas, a biological man.

“I want my future daughter and your future daughters to be able to not only compete fairly in sports but to have safe changing spaces,” Wheeler said.

“We must protect freedoms, or they will continue to be stripped away,” Wheeler said.

Scanlan described her mother helping her dress at a young age and for swimming practice and spoke about the journey to becoming comfortable in the locker room, which she said was shattered by Thomas. “I, along with the Independent Women’s Forum, urge the YMCA of Springfield, Illinois, to reconsider their policy,” Scanlan told the crowd.

Totura, Sowle and the YMCA did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.