North Cook News

Mary Miller, U.S. Representative of Illinois, said that schools in her state are unlawfully allowing biological males to participate in girls' sports, referencing a recent volleyball case in Hoffman Estates. The statement was made on the social media platform X.

"Illinois schools continue to violate federal law by letting biological men compete in women's sports," said Mary E. Miller, U.S. Representative from Illinois.

A controversy emerged in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, when a transgender freshman joined the girls’ volleyball team at Conant High School. According to ABC7 Chicago, the District 211 school board meeting became contentious. Some residents opposed the student's inclusion due to privacy concerns, while others warned against dehumanizing a child, citing potential harm.

Transgender participation in Illinois high school athletics is rare. As reported by TransVitae, data from the Illinois High School Association indicates that only three transgender athletes competed in girls’ sports statewide last year out of more than 320,000 total student-athletes. This highlights the unusual nature of the incident at Conant High School.

Federal Title IX law prohibits sex-based discrimination in education programs receiving federal funds and has been interpreted to extend protections to transgender students. According to guidance from the U.S. Department of Education’s Title IX office, schools may not discriminate against students based on gender identity. However, recent lawsuits underscore ongoing disputes over how this applies in athletics.

Miller was born in Oak Park, Illinois, in 1959 and has represented Illinois’s 15th Congressional District since 2021. According to the Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress, she earned a business management degree from Eastern Illinois University and completed graduate coursework in education. She has long managed her family’s farm while advancing conservative policy positions in Washington.