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Help Us Build An Illinois We Can Be Proud Of
The ACLU of Illinois works to ensure that all Illinoisans - lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and straight - can enjoy the civil liberties guaranteed by the Constitution, and participate equally in our common life together.
Winning Relationship Recognition
Randy W. of Springfield is a veteran of the U.S. Army. Despite his service to our nation, he is denied many of the benefits that others already enjoy only because he is gay. This reality became clear a few years ago when Randy's life partner Curt was admitted to a Springfield hospital with an illness that would take his life. Randy was denied the ability to spend the night in the hospital alongside Curt - a privilege commonly granted spouses - and was not notified by the hospital when Curt's condition took a turn for the worse. As a result, Randy nearly missed saying goodbye to his life partner as Curt took his final breaths.
Randy's story, tragically, is not unique. Lesbian and gay families – our neighbors, colleagues, family members and friends – in committed long-term relationships are denied hundreds of protections and responsibilities offered by the state.
The ACLU is a strong supporter of full equality for gay and lesbian couples and their families - including equality in marriage. We believe the Illinois Religious Freedom and Civil Union Act represents an important step towards full equality and offers fairness to all families. Send a free fax to your state legislators in support of this important legislation.
Ending Discrimination Against Transgender Individuals
 In the current security environment, each of us can understand the need to have an accurate birth certificate. It is easy to see how frustrating it would be if Illinois officials refused to issue a correct birth certificate – no matter what steps you took. This is the dire circumstance faced today by two women born in Illinois on whose behalf the ACLU of Illinois filed a lawsuit last year.
The case grows out of an inconsistent, almost inexplicable interpretation of the Illinois Vital Records Act affecting transgender persons. For more than four decades, Illinois permitted individuals who have gender confirmation surgery to change the gender marker on an original birth certificate. In the last few years, however, the Department of Vital Records started interpreting the law to provide this option only if an individual has the surgery by a United States-licensed physician. This creates an unnecessary and unfair burden for the growing number of persons who select a surgeon from Europe, South America or Asia. Both of the women represented by the ACLU opted for their own reasons to have their gender confirmation surgery in Thailand.
The ACLU tried for several years to persuade the State to change its practices prior to pursuing relief in court. Since it filed suit, the State finally reversed itself and changed its policy so that those who have sex reassignment surgery abroad can secure a new, accurate birth certificate. Celebrating the change in policy and the positive development for its clients, the ACLU again noted that the lack of an accurate gender marker on a birth certificate creates unnecessary and dangerous challenges to persons who have undergone sex reassignment surgery, and is antithetical to the advice of medical experts who recommend that persons who undergo sex reassignment ensure that all aspects of their lives reflect their gender identity. Read more about this important lawsuit.
Protecting Youth at Risk
 The ACLU of Illinois’ Youth at Risk Program recognizes that many LGBTQ youth encounter additional challenges of bullying and harassment in schools and other government-run institutions (such as foster homes and juvenile detention centers) while also possibly struggling for acceptance within their own families. The Youth at Risk Project mobilizes entire communities by organizing Safe School Initiatives to educate the public, and school administrators and faculty about the problems of school bullying. Recently, the project created and shared a brochure entitled You Have a Right to Be Yourself to school administrators and other youth advocates across the state.
In 2009, the ACLU has once again worked to amend the Illinois Human Rights Act to provide a remedy for student victims of harassment and other forms of discrimination in the classroom. If signed by governor, students who experience discriminatory treatment at school, including harassment, because of their race, sex, disability, sexual orientation, or other protected status will have a legal remedy. If proved, severe or pervasive harassment of a student because of who she is, along with the failure of the school to take reasonable corrective actions to prevent harassment, provide an ample factual basis for damages and other relief.
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