State Rep. Cassidy Condemns SCOTUS Ruling Restricting Rights of Transgender Student Athletes

CHICAGO —  State Representative Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago, released the following statement today following the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in West Virginia v BPJ, which allows states to prevent transgender athletes from participating in sports that align with their gender identity :

“First and foremost, Illinois’ laws protecting trans youth are not impacted by today’s United States Supreme Court decision in West Virginia v BPJ. The court upheld the West Virginia law targeting trans student athletes, but that ruling does not repeal any of our state’s laws affirming the rights of trans students to fully participate in their schools by protecting access to appropriate locker rooms and restrooms in all public and non-religious private schools and allowing trans student athletes to participate in school sports through Illinois High School Association policy.

“While states across the country continue to find new and increasingly cruel ways to bully transgender kids, Illinois will continue to do everything in our power to protect them. This decision, while another example of the ways this court and this administration continue to use children as political punching bags, does not impact the protective laws that states like Illinois have put in place. 

“The fight is not over, of course. This Congress, administration, and court will continue to try and find ways to spread their hatred. Through litigation led by Attorney General Kwame Raoul and legislation supported by my General Assembly colleagues and Governor Pritzker, we will continue to seek ways to provide as many protections as we can, for as long as we can, recognizing the limitations of state laws in the face of federal legislation and federal subpoenas.”