South Cook News

Niki Conforti, a candidate for the Illinois Sixth Congressional District, recently shared her views on the coincidence of Easter and Trans Day of Visibility falling on the same day. Conforti is set to challenge incumbent Democrat Sean Casten in the upcoming general election. Her comments were made in response to the Biden Administration's official recognition of Trans Day of Visibility.

"While I have no issue with setting a day of visibility for the transgender community, it is in very poor taste to do so on Easter Sunday," said Conforti, according to Facebook. "This is the most holy day for Christians. The day our Lord and Savior rises from the dead. In fact, it is an afront to Christianity."

Conforti posted a screenshot of President Joe Biden's proclamation issued on March 29. She wrote on her Facebook post, "Religion is under attack. This administration, along with the atheist Sean Casten, is undermining Americans’ faith. They want everyone to look to the government for their needs – not rely on God for strength. It is time to cast out Casten!" She also urged people to visit her campaign website.

Screenshot of Niki Conforti's April 1 Facebook post | Niki Conforti Facebook page

According to Catholic Straight Answers, Easter, a holiday when Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, occurs in spring but varies each year. It falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. The dating system established by the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D determines that Easter can occur as early as March 22 or as late as April 25. However, Orthodox Churches follow a different system and may celebrate anywhere from one to five weeks after the traditional Easter date.

The International Transgender Day of Visibility was instituted in 2009 and always falls on March 31. This date was chosen by Rachel Crandall-Crocker when she first created and observed this day, according to a report from The 19th.

Conforti has an extensive background that includes work as an energy consultant and a twelve-year tenure in healthcare within large health systems. According to her website, she holds a degree from the University of Chicago School of Economics and an MBA in Healthcare Administration from George Washington University. Her family history is marked by immigration and military tradition. Beyond her political aspirations, Conforti is actively involved in community service and philanthropy, contributing to initiatives organized by her church and supporting organizations such as International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) and Mothers2Mothers Charities.