Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Your tax dollars at work

Posted in:

Illinois

* State mailer from Rep. Blaine Wilhour…

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 9:36 am

Comments

Blaine is going to have a hard time beating the “obsessed with children’s genitals” accusations.

Comment by Springfielder Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 9:40 am
Media: The Democrats lost because they focus too much on social issues and not on affordability.

GOP: Won’t stop talking about making life miserable for Trans children.

Comment by NIU Grad Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 9:48 am
Brain boiled to complete doneness in an Instant Pot. But I’m sure this messaging will win voters over statewide.

Comment by Roadrager Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 9:51 am
Ladies and gentlemen, this is called a distraction from real issues affecting your lives with an unhinged conspiracy theory unrelated to the real world.

“Don’t pay attention to my hand in your purse, beware of that guy with the purple hair over by the bus stop.”

Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 9:51 am
“The Silly Party has taken Luton.”

Comment by West Side the Best Side Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 9:53 am
It’s incredible how much focus is put on a thing where there isn’t a single recorded incident, but absolutely no efforts to address the multiple documented incidents of child abuse by scout leaders, priests, teachers, coaches, and pastors across the state.

This isn’t about keeping children safe, in a way it’s distracting from the real problems in communities.

Comment by Incandenza Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 9:55 am
Very frustrating that this is the *only* way some people “support” women and girls sports (or at all)

Comment by Peanut Gallery Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 9:55 am
Interesting…it’s like a transphobic variation of “Great Replacement Theory”. It’s so sad that this activates some people.

Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 10:00 am
Someone remind me how many trans high school athletes there are in Illinois. 2? 3?

Comment by Homebody Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 10:01 am
What an incredible piece of . . .wasted oxygen.

Comment by Lt Guv Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 10:07 am
The issue isn’t how many trans atheletes : it just takes one to win a women’s event. Anyway, why have sex segregated sports if you see no difference in men and women? The taxpayers could save a lot of money if there was no sex segregated sports. Ready for the Brave New World?

Comment by Steve Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 10:18 am
Yes, I 100% believe this guy cares even a tiny bit about the safety of women and girls.

Where’s your mailer on domestic violence, Blaine?

Comment by Suburban Mom Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 10:20 am
I would think Wilhour could empathize with the trans community as he appears to identify as an adult man but clearly isn’t one.

Comment by Excitable Boy Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 10:20 am
===The issue isn’t how many trans atheletes : it just takes one to win a women’s event. Anyway, why have sex segregated sports if you see no difference in men and women?===

Dude, it’s children playing school sports. It helps keep them engaged and in school, especially kids at high risk of dropping out. Literally nobody cares who wins. Or are you the guy who gets ejected from the 7-year-old soccer game for screaming obscenities at the teenaged ref? Because that guy is literally the only guy who cares who wins, and that’s sure what you sound like.

Comment by Suburban Mom Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 10:22 am
- Anyway, why have sex segregated sports -

I’ve said it many times before, but in my small west central Illinois conference there were always a few girls playing football, baseball, and even wrestling. That was 25 years ago.

- it just takes one to win a women’s event. -

Your point? The “it just takes one” argument could be applied to a lot of issues with much more dangerous consequences, not a great way to shape public policy.

Comment by Excitable Boy Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 10:37 am
==now, boys are being allowed to…walk into their locker rooms==
I was born 60 years too soon. /s

Comment by DEE Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 10:50 am
While we’re here, anyone notice how high school football and basketball are promoted by schools as “men’s basketball” or “men’s athletics” and the women’s sports are always called “girls” in high school. I think boys and girls is actually correct. Look at the class 8A teams for example at winning private schools. There’s a lot to still get right, subtle bias at learning institutions abounds.

Comment by Capricious Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 10:56 am
They clearly have nothing to run on other than unbased fearmongering.

Comment by TJ Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 11:08 am
Meh. All of these mailers post session are obnoxious and are campaign mailers paid for by IL tax payers. My State Rep told me that hes lowering drug prices and making our neighborhoods safer. I wont hold my breath on those results showing up.

Comment by Red Ranger Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 11:33 am
-Your point? The “it just takes one”-

I can handle no more sex segregated sports teams if a new interpretation of Section 1 of the 14th Amendment emerges. Are you?

Comment by Steve Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 11:36 am
I do not believe that biologically born males who transition to being female should participate in female sports. If you have female related family in sports and feel differently, I would genuinely like to hear your reasoning.

The ‘bathroom issue’ always comes up. I have not made up my mind on this matter but if one has made the full transition then, at present, would allow their access.

Comment by Mason County Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 11:36 am
If the biggest issue in your life right now is who’s on the girls’ JV volleyball team at your local high school, maybe it’s time to find some hobbies.

Comment by Sterling Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 11:51 am
It would be interesting to hear his plans for enforce sports participation rules. Who will be assigned to check the personal attributes of the athletes to ensure conformity?

Comment by Friendly Bob Adams Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 11:57 am
Didn’t the former owner of Miss USA allegedly go into the dressing room? Asking for a friend.

Comment by Jerry Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 12:25 pm
To: West Side’s the best side “The Silly Party has taken Luton”…”Well there’s a swing here to the Silly Party, but how big a swing, I’m not going to tell you. What we’re bantering about: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVI5ZOT5QEM

To the post: Biological women play women, biological men play men. I’m a biological male who can’t walk into a women’s locker room, but a trans can??

Comment by thisjustinagain Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 12:37 pm
Excitable Boy - Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 10:37 am:

“I’ve said it many times before, but in my small west central Illinois conference there were always a few girls playing football, baseball, and even wrestling. That was 25 years ago.”

I can confirm the same happened in East Central IL in the late 1970s. Several girls played on the boys teams at my school. And they happened to have very supportive parents who knew what they needed as athletes and fought for them to get to play where they fit best. Nobody I know ever had a problem with it. Everyone mostly just let them be. Wouldn’t that be nice in 2025.

Comment by ugh Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 12:45 pm
I got this mailer and promptly put it where it belongs,in the dumpster. Unfortunately, this sells very well in his district and anything bad is Chicago and Pritzkers fault. Its far right rhetoric on steroids.

Comment by Fayette County Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 12:47 pm
These are people who elect and support an admitted sexual assaulter (see Hollywood Access tape, and also Carroll verdict) but are worried about girls’ sports. Thankfully it’s Illinois where this gets roundly defeated in elections.

Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 12:52 pm
- I can handle no more sex segregated sports teams if a new interpretation of Section 1 of the 14th Amendment emerges. Are you? -

Are you currently going through a stroke or something?

Comment by Excitable Boy Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 12:53 pm
- If you have female related family in sports and feel differently, I would genuinely like to hear your reasoning. -

I have two daughters and I could not care less if they compete with biological boys. I want them to play sports to learn about teamwork, fitness, and leadership, trans kids don’t threaten any of that.

Comment by Excitable Boy Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 12:58 pm
=== I would genuinely like to hear your reasoning.===

Here’s the thing kind-of generally: Women understand that MEN are threats to them. Women also understand that men are threats to OTHER MEN who are gay, or bi, or enby, and to other people who are gender non-conforming in one way or another.

I absolutely do not care about a transgendered woman who was born male in the women’s bathroom. I understand that she’s no threat to me, but in the men’s bathroom there exist threats to both of us.

Women’s spaces have served as refuges for sexual minorities and gender non-conforming people for a very long time, and it JUST DOESN’T BOTHER ME if a boy who’s gay (not even trans, just gay) wants to change for gym class in the girls’ locker room because he prefers not to be sexually assaulted in the boys’ locker room.

The threat is not trans women. The threat is cis, straight men, especially the ones who are very hopped up on misogyny and gay panic.

Comment by Suburban Mom Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 1:01 pm
This is sooo far into obsession the only possible “pièce de résistance” would be an endorsement from Rick Santorum … /s

Comment by Anyone Remember Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 1:05 pm
What is the correct response/support to/for the biological female that objects to sharing a locker room with a biological male?

Comment by Papa2008 Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 1:30 pm
In the Central State 8 conference, several of the high school football teams recently had female kickers, including SHG, SHS, Glenwood, and maybe others.

Do we need to keep girls out of men’s sports, Blaine? /s

Comment by Steve Rogers Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 1:31 pm
- What is the correct response/support to/for the biological female that objects to sharing a locker room with a biological male? -

Private changing areas. This isn’t rocket science.

Comment by Excitable Boy Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 1:47 pm
A peek into the browser history of these legislators would be very telling. What they cry and complain about is tightly coupled with their own private fantasies and proclivities but in public they try to signal their extreme opposition to their inner desires and kinks, and they are marketing the fears of like-minded bigots with similar personal issues.

Comment by Give Us Barabbas Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 1:57 pm
3 trans women out of 320,000 IHSA participants. What will we ever do.

Comment by ArchPundit Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 2:03 pm
This is the hill, as I have said before, that JB and the dems want to die on. 2026 will prove who is right.

Comment by smile politely Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 2:06 pm
=Do we need to keep girls out of men’s sports, Blaine? /s=

This.

Girls have been playing on “boys” teams for eons. Since I was in little league in the 1970’s. Why isn’t that an issue?

I think the last line of @Suburban Mom nails it.

Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 2:10 pm
Nature makes mistakes which medical experts can correct…medical ignorence is the disease.

Comment by Dotnonymous x Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 2:14 pm
Wilhour seems fixated on genitalia.

Comment by Dotnonymous x Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 2:17 pm
=== Nature makes mistakes ===

No it doesn’t. It is nature.

Comment by Remember the Alamo II Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 2:33 pm
=== Girls have been playing on “boys” teams for eons. Since I was in little league in the 1970’s. Why isn’t that an issue? ===

Because one of the members of the MAGA Contrived Controversy Consortium (known colloquially as the Bogeyman Boys) found some social media post from a kook with a ridiculous Trans narrative and decided to create a massive and fictitious horror story to be propagated by their propaganda network. A similar process has been seen for drag queens, CRT, DEI, education indoctrination, etc.

Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 3:11 pm
14/10 Love the mailer

Comment by Pinkerton Detective Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 4:32 pm
=This is the hill, as I have said before, that JB and the dems want to die on.=

I’ve yet to hear JB address the issue let alone run an ad. I keep hearing how these are the issues that are important to Democrats but those claims are largely made by Republicans. And they wonder why they can’t win in Illinois?

Comment by Pundent Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 4:38 pm
If my house was on fire, and Blaine Wilhour had a glass of water, I’d pour it out.

Comment by Fivegreenleaves Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 5:42 pm
Meanwhile, the leader of his party in Washington is doing his level best to kill a story about REAL threats to underage children, particularly females.

Comment by Galena Guy Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 6:27 pm
@Remember

So genetic disorders just don’t exist either? No such thing as congenital defects even? Because nature doesn’t make mistakes like that?

Comment by Irreverent Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 6:30 pm
I was in France for two weeks last month. Pro tip for Rep. Wilhour and others who are triggered by men in the ladies’ bathroom: avoid Europe. Unisex bathrooms are common, and no one is concerned.

Also, has no one seen the Bad News Bears in his district? When Buttermaker had to pass out cups to the team? This isn’t a new issue. But it still gives the puritans the vapors. Lots of closeted freaks in the Eastern Bloc from my vantage point. Get over yourselves.

But it’s good politics. Sadly. The world will go on, and the kids will be alright, if we allow them to be.

Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 6:51 pm
=== Nature makes mistakes ===

No it doesn’t. It is nature.

I can explain it to them…I wish I could understand it for them.

Comment by Dotnonymous x Wednesday, Jul 16, 25 @ 7:20 pm

Add a comment

Previous Post: Catching up with the federal candidates (Updated)
Next Post: SB 328 Puts Illinois’s Economy At Risk

Last 10 posts:

Isabel’s afternoon roundup (07-17)
Meanwhile… In Opposite Land (07-17)
Sen. DeWitte bows out of reelection (07-17)
SB 328: Separating Lies From Truth (07-17)
Pritzker says $241.8 million federal funding for Illinois schools being withheld (07-17)
No deal, no special session: Buckner says transit talks not there yet (07-17)
When RETAIL Succeeds, Illinois Succeeds (07-17)
Catching up with the federal candidates (Updated x2) (07-17)
Hexaware: Your Globally Local IT Services Partner (07-17)
Open thread (07-17)