EARLY VOTING starts Monday throughout Illinois. Community polling places are open, and, in many locations, later hours and weekend times make voting easier than ever. VOTE BY MAIL is also available to all voters. This important election will determine our state leadership and the makeup of the Illinois General Assembly, and we have to protect …
In late August, the Chicago White Sox hosted an LGBT night in partnership with Equality Illinois. Anti-gay fans ranted on social media about whether the White Sox should host such a night. After reading through the disparaging comments, award-winning Chicago filmmaker Sam Ciaramitaro, decided to make this short film, Take Me OUT to the Ballpark. …
Equality Illinois is turning purple today to join GLAAD on #SPIRITDAY against bullying. State law in Illinois and federal policies strive to make our schools safe for all students, regardless of actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender-related identity or expression. Still, parents, the school community and government create the tone and share the responsibility for actively …
The Equality Illinois Political Action Committee (Equality Illinois PAC) today endorses the re-election of Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan, Secretary of State Jesse White and Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka in the Nov. 4 General Election. With no incumbent in the race for treasurer, Equality Illinois PAC, endorses both candidates, state Rep. Tom Cross, a Republican, and …
Equality Illinois PAC Makes Bipartisan Endorsements Read More »
TODAY is the last day to register in Illinois for the important Nov. 4 general election, which is four weeks from today. Click on the REGISTER link below, and you can: 1. Check your registration status and make sure your address is up to date 2. Register today for anywhere in Illinois 3. Request an …
The U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing marriage equality to move forward demonstrates that Bruce Rauner, the Republican candidate for governor, remains on the wrong side of history, the Equality Illinois Political Action Committee (Equality Illinois PAC) said Monday. “Bruce Rauner says he would have vetoed the state marriage law if he was governor when it …
VICTORY! Congratulations to our neighboring Midwestern states of Indiana and Wisconsin from your friends in Illinois, another MARRIAGE EQUALITY STATE. Same-sex marriages should begin shortly in Indiana and Wisconsin, as well as in Oklahoma, Utah and Virginia, after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear appeals of cases that overturned bans on the freedom to …
Marriage equality cases are some of the first items being considered by the Supreme Court on Monday as justices return from their summer break. Before the court are seven petitions asking the court to take up marriage equality cases involving five states. Included is the 3-0 majority opinion of the U.S. Court of Appeals in …
The Equality Illinois Political Action Committee (Equality Illinois PAC) today enthusiastically endorses Gov. Pat Quinn for re-election. Governor Quinn’s leading role in achieving first civil unions and then marriages for same-sex couples, his open and inclusive administration, and his strong support for policies that protect LGBT students from bullying and LGBT workers from discrimination make …
The unanimous U.S. Court of Appeals ruling Thursday in Chicago for the freedom to marry was a clarion call for Midwestern political leaders including Bruce Rauner of Illinois to end their stubborn opposition to marriage equality. In a news release, Equality Illinois demanded that Bruce Rauner, the Republican nominee for governor, apologize for his pledge …
EQIL Calls on Rauner: Follow Marriage Equality Ruling Read More »
Score another victory for marriage equality in the Midwest. The U.S. Appeals Court in Chicago released a unanimous 3-0 ruling against the marriage equality bans in our neighboring states of Indiana and Wisconsin. What is remarkable is that the three-judge panel took barely a week after the oral arguments to decide the case and write …
U.S. Appeals Court Orders Marriage Equality in the Midwest Read More »
Join Equality Illinois at this First Friday for the launch party for the Get Your V Card campaign for voter registration. The campaign includes an Equality Illinois ad on YouTube that the chicagoist blog says is “the cheekiest voter registration ad ever.” The Huffington Post takes it a step further, saying, “The ad’s porn-tastic soundtrack …
The weather cleared for the Rally for Marriage Equality Monday evening, allowing couples from Indiana and Wisconsin to join supporters from Illinois in advance of an important hearing Tuesday on the freedom to marry in the Midwest. A panel of judges on the U.S. Appeals Court for the 7th Circuit in Chicago will hear oral arguments …
Same-sex couples in Illinois now enjoy the protections only marriage can provide. And that historic victory would never have happened without Illinoisans who took action and made their voices heard for equality for all. But the fight isn’t over yet; far from it actually. Because while we secured the freedom to marry in Illinois, we …
Equality Illinois today honors 41 Illinois law firms for “Raising the Bar” and leading the way in providing a welcoming and fair work environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) employees and engaging with the LGBT community. The Equality Illinois Raising the Bar 2014 report released today goes into depth on the findings of …
Folks are signing up to #GetYourVCard at the Illinois State Fair this week. You can do electronic registration for any voting jurisdiction in the state right in the Equality Illinois booth on the fairgrounds. Or check your registration status. Find Equality Illinois in the southeast corner of the fairgrounds near the entrance at Sangamon Avenue …
Folks Are Getting Their V Cards at the State Fair Read More »
#GetYourVCard at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield – NOW OPEN through August 17 – and this weekend at Northalsted Market Days in Chicago. Visit the Equality Illinois booth at both events for convenient online voter registration or to check your voting status. Also check up on the latest LGBT issues. See you at the fairs! And …
In preparation for the upcoming Market Days festival, the largest two-day street festival in the Midwest, LGBT leaders including the Equality Illinois Political Action Committee plan to call attention to Bruce Rauner’s anti-LGBT activities and ongoing conservative social agenda for Illinois. Equality Illinois organizations and activists say that Rauner, who has claimed not to be …
CLICK TO PLAY VIDEO Today we are sharing with Equality Illinois supporters a preview of our Get Your V-Card campaign, a statewide effort to make sure voters are ready to cast a ballot in the upcoming general election – so we can defend our historic victories in November! The campaign will be launched throughout the state on …
The two executive orders expanding protections for LGBT workers signed Monday by President Obama set the standards by which policies, laws, and leaders should be judged, according to Equality Illinois. “President Obama’s executive orders are to be applauded for their expansive coverage,” said Bernard Cherkasov, CEO of Equality Illinois, who attended the signing ceremony in the White House East Room. “The President also resisted …
Breaking News from an Equality Illinois Report: More Than 5,000 Couples Enjoying Marriage Equality in Illinois Couples united in new marriages, by civil union conversions and by marriages in other jurisdictions recognized in Illinois are enjoying the benefits of Illinois Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act. “Some politicians cannot state that they will defend marriage …
5,000 Couples Enjoying Marriage Equality in Illinois Read More »
Equality Illinois and scores of other statewide equality organizations throughout the United States joined forces today in sending a letter to President Obama urging him to exclude broad religious exemptions from his promised executive order prohibiting discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender workers by federal contractors. Even before the Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby decision, …
THANK YOU to a million of our closest friends for a spectacular Chicago Pride Parade 2014 and for welcoming the Equality Illinois contingent so warmly. Scores of volunteers made our GET ENGAGED parade entry a great success, and players of the Chicago Sky, who joined us, added to the fun afternoon. Please take a moment …
Same-sex married couples and their children on Thursday joined with political leaders and LGBT advocates such as Equality Illinois founder Art Johnston and Equality Illinois CEO Bernard Cherkasov to unveil this huge banner of Republican gubernatorial nominee Bruce Rauner and remind voters of his threat to veto the marriage equality bill if given the opportunity. …
Banner Recalls Rauner’s Threat to Veto Marriage Equality Read More »
Gov. Pat Quinn on June 26, 2014 signed an important strengthening of anti-bullying law in Illinois, setting in place policies and procedures to protect all Illinois school children, including LGBT youth. This significant enhancement was made possible by the hard work of parents, sponsors Rep. Kelly Cassidy and Sen. Heather Steans, and advocacy groups such …