Rockford Sun

Illinois Senator Andrew S. Chesney recently spoke out against House Bill 2350, which passed in both houses in a Facebook post on May 5. The bill mandates that all insured individuals be provided with Pap smear tests and prostate cancer screenings, regardless of gender. 

Chesney criticized the bill, stating that it goes against scientific facts and that it is the type of legislation that confuses people, particularly children.

“If you wonder why people do crazy stuff  - this is exactly why," Chesney stated. "Biological males cannot get pap smears. It's not possible it is physically and anatomically impossible. It's not even -  it's not even following science. You know, people don't understand why we're kind of you know doing goofball things. This is why right biological women cannot go get a prostate exam it's not possible, right?"

Chesney expressed his opposition to HB2350 in a Facebook post, where he shared a link to his speech on the floor. In the video, he argued that biological males cannot undergo Pap smear tests and that biological women cannot receive prostate exams. Chesney maintained that the bill contradicts scientific facts and that such legislation is the reason behind the confusion surrounding gender identity.

Chesney has been representing the 89th District since December 2018. Before that, he served as a member of the Freeport City Council and was a board member of the Regional Access Mobilization Project (RAMP), an organization that provides advocacy and support services for people with disabilities. Chesney has also been a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters.

"So we can do all the gender feel-good garbage but this is why our kids are confused," Chesney stated. "This is why kids are dressing up as furries and want kitty litter in the bathrooms because you guys won't follow science. There are two genders. There are two genders possible. There's not three, there's not four. There are two. The crazy stuff like this is why people are confused and the kids don't know what the hell's going on because they're confused because of legislation like this drop the pronoun crap there are two genders, period."

HB2350 is set to go into effect on January 1, 2025. The bill requires coverage for an annual cervical smear or Pap smear tests for all insureds and annual prostate cancer screenings for insureds upon the recommendation of a physician licensed to practice medicine for specified individuals. Additionally, the bill mandates annual prostate cancer screenings for insureds who are 40 years of age or older and have a genetic predisposition to prostate cancer.

Rep. Kelly M. Cassidy filed the bill with the Clerk of the House on February 14 according to the Illinois House. It was later moved to the Senate on March 22 and passed both houses on May 4. Despite the bill’s passage, Chesney’s remarks have sparked a debate regarding the scientific accuracy and the potential confusion surrounding HB2350’s provisions.