Sangamon Sun

Abbigail Wheeler, a 16-year-old swimmer, was the focus of a July 13 press conference in Springfield. 

The issue at hand revolved around a recent incident in which Wheeler was required to share a swim locker room with men at the YMCA. 

“I was made to feel as though I was in the wrong,” Wheeler said. “I was made to feel as though there was something wrong with me feeling uncomfortable changing in the women’s locker room where biological men were being allowed to undress in the same space as me and my underage teammates.” 

Wheeler was later removed from a swim team for raising concerns.

"The YMCA was not upholding its Christian values like they say they are," Wheeler said.

The teenager later faced consequences and was ejected from the swim team. The issue has sparked a debate about the rights and comfort of transgender individuals in gender-segregated spaces, with some advocating for gender-neutral facilities and others arguing for the protection of women and girls in locker rooms, according to The Center Square.

The press conference was attended by the Wheeler family and supporters. In the crowd, a 42-year-old transgender member of the YMCA, Christina Newton, told The Center Square that what was said was "racist." According to The Center Square, Newton believed Newton and another person were possibly the people Wheeler was concerned about.  

Concerns have been raised about the potential infringement upon the rights of female athletes, as well as the potential for privacy violations and discomfort for the girls involved.

“At the beginning of the normal swim team practice, coach Totura and Kenzie Primus, Branch Director of the Kerasotes Branch (westside) pulled all the girls aside for a meeting to discuss the hanging of the signs,” Breakthrough Ideas reported the girl’s father saying. “They indicated that this was not acceptable, and it was 'hate speech.' My daughter approached coach Totura immediately after the meeting and indicated that she was involved in the hanging of the signs. She said that she did this because her previous attempts to correct this were dismissed by the YMCA staff and her coach. Coach Totura said that this was hate speech; she was not allowed to participate with the swim team; and was asked to leave the pool area."