Teen Accused of “Hate Speech” After Gender Comments

After complained to the YMCA in Springfield, Illinois, about witnessing two transgender individuals in the female locker room, a young girl claims she is no longer welcome there. She told her swim coach and her parents how she felt, but no one was able to make things better. The teenager apparently received backlash for “hate speech” and was dismissed from the swim team after taking matters into her own hands.

Abbigail Wheeler, age 16, resented having to wear her bikini in front of actual men. The girl’s father told Jeanne Ives of “Breakthrough Ideas” that the YMCA’s chief executive officer, Angie Sowle, was contacted by the family for help, but that the Y refused to take action.

All the same amenities found in the men’s and women’s locker rooms are available in the private bathrooms that parents have requested transgender members utilize. They felt it was inappropriate to expose their minor children to people who appeared to be of the other sex due to genetics. According to the Wheelers, the YMCA’s official position was that banning transgender people from joining was illegal because it violated their civil rights.

The Wheelers also noted their own and others’ bewilderment at learning that the locker rooms had been fully merged for some time despite the lack of permission from or information to parents of minors. The YMCA also claims that it would be discrimination to have informed the youth group that there were transgender people using the public restrooms and locker rooms.

Abbigail Wheeler responded by posting banners in the locker area that said “Biological Women Only,” “Safe Sport,” and “Women’s Rights.” After finding that the youngster had abandoned the signals, her swim instructor reportedly told her to leave.

A spokesman for the YMCA has stated that Wheeler made up most of the narrative and voluntarily quit the swim squad. According to a statement released by the Springfield YMCA, staff members would have reported such allegations to the appropriate authorities and kept detailed records of them because “The YMCA takes the protection of children very seriously.”