Illinois

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel ranked gay marriage No. 3 on his list of priorities for the State Legislature Tuesday, placing it behind pension reform and approving a Chicago casino, reported the Chicago Sun-Times. [ Read more → ]

AURORA, Ill. — An Ad Hoc committee of the East Aurora School District 131 convened for the first time Thursday to discuss its plans to create a new policy for protecting transgender students after a previous district policy was rescinded late last month. [ Read more → ]

The Civil Rights Agenda, a Chicago-based LGBT rights and policy advocacy group, announced Sunday the launch of a new project that will bring greater focus to advancing the rights of transgender and gender-variant communities in Illinois. [ Read more → ]

CHICAGO -- Two teens have been arrested in the murder of an openly gay high school senior in what police are ruling a “robbery-turned-fatal-shooting," while the victim's family are calling it an anti-gay hate crime. [ Read more → ]

Following its controversial decision to rescind a policy that would have added protections for transgender and gender nonconforming students in its schools Oct. 19, the East Aurora School District announced Monday that it is forming a committee to work on an all new “inclusive policy.” [ Read more → ]

Bernard Cherkasov, CEO of Equality Illinois, a statewide advocacy organization, commented Saturday on the decision by the East Aurora school board to rescind policy that supported transgender and gender nonconforming staff, faculty, and students. [ Read more → ]

AURORA — In a special meeting Friday evening, the East Aurora School Board voted to repeal a policy that would create protections for gender nonconforming students that they quickly and unanimously passed just five days ago. [ Read more → ]

AURORA, Ill. -- An Illinois school board is considering rescinding a transgender rights policy it adopted Monday after after receiving emails and letters from outraged residents and anti-gay organizations across the state. [ Read more → ]

The Southern Poverty Law Center and the Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health filed a complaint with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation Thursday, calling upon the department’s licensing board to investigate the practices of a Chicago-area social worker, who they say practices ”ex-gay” conversion therapy services. [ Read more → ]

After releasing poll data showing a 10-point increase in support for same-sex marriage among Illinoisans, the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University released new data Monday showing a majority of Illinois Catholics also approve of gay and lesbian unions. [ Read more → ]

Support for same-sex marriage equality among Illinoisans has grown by 10 points over the last two years, according to a poll conducted by the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University. [ Read more → ]

CHICAGO, IL -- Chicago Alderman Proco "Joe" Moreno is again threatening to block Chick-fil-A from building a restaurant in his ward after reports published on Friday signaled that promises made by Chick-fil-A executives to him and a local LGBT advocacy group (that the company was going to cease financial support of several noted anti-gay organizations) were nullified by Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy. [ Read more → ]

CHICAGO -- After months of negotiations with Chicago Alderman Proco “Joe” Moreno over its anti-gay positions and donations, Chick-fil-A has agreed to cease donations from its non-profit charity to anti-gay organizations and issued a company-wide internal mandate calling for the equal treatment of all employees and customers, the alderman said. [ Read more → ]

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Police Department has enacted a general order that mandates protections for transgender people while in the custody of police and requires officers to be trained for the respectful treatment of transgender detainees. [ Read more → ]

A bipartisan group of 11 Illinois legislators filed an amicus brief last week in support of a motion to dismiss the landmark lawsuit by Lambda Legal and the ACLU challenging the state’s marriage ban. [ Read more → ]

CHICAGO -- Police confirmed Friday that a body discovered in an abandoned building in a west side Chicago neighborhood known as K-Town was that of 19-year-old Donta Gooden, a transgender female. [ Read more → ]

CICERO, Ill. -- A transgender woman who alleged that two Cicero police officers humiliated her and discriminated against her because of her gender identity has settled a lawsuit with the town for $10,000. Cicero also agreed to enact guidelines for the police treatment of transgender people, according to her attorneys. [ Read more → ]

Chicago Republican Party leaders filed a complaint with Attorney General Lisa Madigan and the Illinois Department of Human Rights Wednesday, alleging that Alderman Proco “Joe” Moreno violated provisions of the state’s Human Rights Act and the First Amendment, when he said he would block Chick-fil-A from opening its second Chicago location in his ward. [ Read more → ]

Civil rights advocates filed a court-supervised agreement Monday that will make it easier for transgender individuals in Illinois to get accurate birth certificates reflecting their gender. The agreement asks to end the requirement for genital surgery in order to change the gender marker. [ Read more → ]

CHICAGO -- Nearly 300 people attended Chicago's first transgender, gender-non-conforming and intersex pride event, held at Union Park Sunday. The intention of the rally was to focus on the theme of “enterprising from the margins,” highlighting community driven efforts to create safe spaces and support among the TGI community. [ Read more → ]