LGBTQ ADVOCACY DAY ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, TO PUSH ILLINOIS TO
KEEP MOVING FORWARD ON LGBTQ EQUALITY AND INCLUSION
Agenda includes the Inclusive
Curriculum Bill as well as legislation to support LGBTQ elders, protect LGBTQ
people from discrimination in jury service, and ensure single-occupancy
restroom facilities are designated as gender neutral.
SPRINGFIELD– Champions of equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) Illinoisans will journey to Springfield on Wednesday, May 15, for LGBTQ Advocacy Day and ask lawmakers to pass pro-LGBTQ initiatives that ensure Illinois remains one of the strongest states in the country for LGBTQ equality and inclusion. Equality Illinois is partnering with LGBTQ-led organizations from across Illinois, including Affinity Community Services, ALMA Illinois, the LGBT Chamber of Commerce of Illinois, Peoria Proud, the Phoenix Center (Springfield), Prairie Pride Coalition (Bloomington-Normal), the Rainbow Café (Carbondale), and WPT (East St. Louis) to host the annual LGBTQ Advocacy Day.
The
past two election cycles have been very exciting for pro-LGBTQ equality. We saw
a record number of pro-LGBTQ equality candidates elected at all levels of
government. Even more exciting, we saw an LGBTQ sheriff elected in central
Illinois, the first LGBTQ person of color elected to the General Assembly and
even a mayor who is an LGBTQ African American woman elected as the chief
executive of the third largest city in America – all right here in Illinois!
“On the national level, we have witnessed a
rise in anti-LGBTQ sentiment from the administration in Washington. To counter
that, we have to be present and visible in the Illinois Capitol so that our
state representatives and senators, as well as officials of the executive
offices, see that LGBTQ voters and our families and allies will continue to
aggressively pursue our rights here in Illinois,” said Brian C. Johnson,
CEO of Equality Illinois, the statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization.
“There is no stepping back from the victories
we have already won, and we are counting on our elected Illinois officials to
support our agenda,” Johnson said.
One major topic these citizen advocates will be
discussing with their hometown lawmakers is the Inclusive Curriculum Bill (HB
246), which would ensure the inclusion of LGBTQ contributions in the history
curriculum taught in Illinois public schools. An LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum can
have a positive effect on students’ self-image and make their peers more
accepting. It would also bring Illinois closer to being a state that tells the
whole story of our shared history. Read more about the bill HERE.
Among other measures that are part of the LGBTQ
Advocacy Day agenda is legislation to advance equity for LGBTQ elders (SB 1319)
and to ensure the state’s jury service non-discrimination protections apply to
LGBTQ people (SB 1378). Another agenda item, (SB 556), which
would designate single-occupancy restrooms as gender neutral in places of
public accommodations and in public buildings.
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