Lake County Gazette

Jay Swidler, chairman of the Vernon Township Republicans, expressed concerns over a recent incident at a Deerfield middle school, describing it as a "blatant violation of federal authority and women’s rights." Swidler made his statement to the Lake County Gazette on March 26.

"The Deerfield locker room situation is an outrageous disregard for both federal authority and basic decency, directly defying executive orders intended to protect women's spaces," said Swidler. "By allowing a biological male into the girls' locker room, the school is actively endangering the privacy, mental health, and safety of young girls. This is not just a policy failure—it's a blatant violation of their rights and a disturbing act of insubordination against clear national directives. Women and girls deserve secure, private spaces free from ideological coercion and forced vulnerability."

The Chicago Tribune reported that the incident involved a civil rights complaint filed by Nicole Georgas, a parent, with the Justice Department. The complaint was regarding a transgender student using the girls' locker room at Shepard Middle School. According to Georgas, staff at the school required girls to change alongside the transgender student. Her complaint has been forwarded to the Department of Education. At a school board meeting, Georgas called for sex-segregated facilities and cited an existing gender-neutral option. She also referenced executive orders from President Trump that restricted transgender rights, expressing concerns about potential threats to girls' privacy, safety, and mental health.

The American College of Pediatricians released findings indicating that there is no long-term evidence supporting puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones for transgender youth. They described these interventions as experimental due to insufficient data for informed consent from parents or assent from minors. The report suggested that puberty blockers might exacerbate gender dysphoria and lead to self-harm and emotional instability.

Alliance Defending Freedom highlighted Dr. Hilary Cass's review commissioned by England’s National Health Service (NHS). Cass critiqued the evidence supporting medical treatments for children with gender dysphoria, noting a lack of reliable long-term outcome data and poor quality in existing studies. She emphasized involving parents in medical decisions unless their involvement poses risks to the child’s safety.

Swidler resides in Buffalo Grove and was first elected as Chairman of the Vernon Township Republicans in 2024. According to their website, he focuses on increasing Republican voter turnout and membership while communicating party positions relevant to Vernon Township voters.