On National Coming Out Day, Equality Illinois Calls on Governor Rauner to Ensure His Appointments Better Reflect the Full Diversity of Illinois

On National Coming Out Day, when we should be celebrating the full diversity of the LGBTQ community in Illinois, Equality Illinois is extremely disappointed in the unbelievable lack of LGBTQ representation among the more than 400 appointments made by Governor Rauner to state boards and commissions during Fiscal Year 2018, the civil rights organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) Illinoisans said on Thursday. Of the 431 appointments the governor made between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018, only 1 appointee publicly identifies as a lesbian, gay, or bisexual person.

EI Responds to Columnist Who Denigrated Transgender Peoples’ Experiences

On August 16, 2018, the Chicago Sun-Times published a column by Mona Charen, a nationally syndicated columnist, that denigrated the experiences of and belittled the challenges facing transgender people in society. Mike Ziri, Director of Public Policy at Equality Illinois, submitted a letter to the editor in response to the column.

Commit to Vote 2018

There is so much at stake for LGBTQ Illinoisans on Nov. 6 at the general election. That’s why Equality Illinois and our partners are teaming up to demonstrate the electoral power of LGBTQ equality voters.

Through the Commit to Vote initiative, we aim to engage LGBTQ equality voters to vote on Nov. 6.

Commit to vote today. We won’t go back when we vote

LGBTQ Advocates Lora Branch and Mo Green and South Side Institution Jeffery Pub to be Honored at Fahrenheit Chicago Kick Off Reception on August 24

Two individuals and a South Side institution who work to improve the lives of Illinoisans, particularly LGBTQ people of color, will be honored Friday at the Kick Off Reception for the weekend’s Fahrenheit Chicago celebration.

The three honorees are Lora Branch of Gilead Sciences Inc., Mo Green of the Office of the Cook County State’s Attorney, and Jeffery Pub, a South Side cultural institution. They will be recognized at Fahrenheit Chicago’s Kick Off Party, from 6-9 p.m. on Friday, August 24, at the historic Gallery Guichard, 436 E. 47th Street, Chicago.