NW Illinois News

State Senator Li Arellano, Jr., along with the Illinois Senate Republican Caucus, has reached out to the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) for clarification on its policies concerning transgender athletes in high school sports. The communication comes in the form of a letter addressed to the IHSA's Executive Director.

The Republican lawmakers are asking for confirmation that IHSA will align its policies with recent federal directives aimed at ensuring fairness in high school athletics. These directives focus on protecting single-sex sports for female athletes by prohibiting participation based on gender identity if it does not match birth sex.

In their letter, the lawmakers have requested a written explanation from IHSA detailing how it intends to update its policies to meet federal requirements while maintaining fairness and competitive balance in girls' and women's sports.

Senator Arellano, Jr., who signed the letter, emphasized the importance of preserving the integrity of high school athletics across Illinois. "It is deeply unfair to have biological males competing against biological females in competitive high school female-only sports," stated Senator Arellano, Jr. He added that this view is gaining public support across party lines and stressed the need for compliance with guidelines.

Illinois Republican Senators are keen on ensuring fair competition opportunities for all athletes in state high schools and await IHSA’s response.