Chambana Sun

In the wake of President Joe Biden’s recent announcement about amending the parameters of Title IX, an analysis by the Prairie State Wire found that Illinois is now one of 29 states that allow boys to compete in girls’ sports on the high school level. 

Some Republicans, including Illinois State Rep. Dan Caulkins (R), think Title IX is morphing into something that will keep it from serving its original purpose.

“This is n attack on girls’ sports. I don’t know how you explain how anyone can think this is OK,” Caulkins told the Chambana Sun. “This isn’t an experiment anymore. We’ve watched it happen and it doesn’t end well. The whole purpose of Title IX was to protect women and make it where they can compete. Now, they want to destroy that.”

Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court stopped short of reversing a lower court’s verdict that blocked enforcement of a law passed two years ago in West Virginia that prohibited boys from taking part in girls’ high school sports, the Prairie State Wire report said. 

"I think it’s shameful and disgraceful and anyone that claims to be for equal protections and inclusion should not be supporting anything like this,” Caulkins said. “Anyone that supports it is betraying all the work women do to work and train to be able to compete and earn scholarships for what they do.”

Just over a year ago, University of Pennsylvania male swimmer Will “Lia” Thomas won two titles in the women’s NCAA swimming championships but earned the scorn and label of a “cheat” of many like University of Kentucky star Riley Gaines, whom she tied in the 200-meter freestyle championships.

Caulkins agreed, saying males have an unfair advantage when competing in women’s sports. “That’s why Title 9 was passed 50 years ago and why we’ve supported it all these years,” he said.

Along with Illinois, the states that allow boys to participate in girls’ high school sports are Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.