Despite progress in public understanding about gender dysphoria and inclusion of persons who are transgender in popular culture, discrimination against those who are transgender takes many forms and remains pervasive in many parts of society.  Some health care plans continue to retain specific, discriminatory prohibitions on coverage of the health care necessary for the treatment of gender dysphoria.  Employees who are transgender face discrimination as they transition (and after) at work.  Students who are transgender face a myriad of problems, from the inability to execute a name change on school records to the ability to use gender-appropriate pronouns, or fully access and utilize the restroom and locker room consistent with a student’s gender identity.  Persons who are transgender face harsh and discriminatory treatment from police.  

Will you work to affirm and protect transgender people from discrimination by: (1) fighting to uphold federal court decisions holding that discrimination against transgender people violates federal laws prohibiting sex discrimination; and (2) taking steps to ensure that Illinois laws, such as the Human Rights Act, are interpreted broadly to affirm and protect people who are transgender from discrimination in Illinois, including in employment, their use of educational and other public facilities, access to public and private health care, their treatment by law enforcement personnel, and in prisons, juvenile facilities, and other forms of state custody? If so, how? If not, why?

ERIKA HAROLD:

DID NOT RESPOND.

BUBBA HARSY:

Transgender individuals, along with all other individuals have the right not to be discriminated against and I will work to affirm and protect transgender people from discrimination. Anytime an individual is not hired, or fired because they are transgender, there will be an investigation in to the hiring or firing practices of that business. Anytime a transgender individual is refused public service because they are transgender, the business engaging in unlawful discrimination will be investigated and the matter will be resolved accordingly based on the findings in the investigation.
 
Specifically addressing matter involving transgender students, these students should have the ability to execute a name change on their school records assuming their name has been legally changed or is in the process of being changed, they should have the ability to be called whatever name they wish, they should have the ability to be identified by whatever gender pronoun they choose, and they should have reasonable accommodations for restrooms.
 
I do not believe that middle school, or high school aged students should have the option to change clothes in a locker-room of their choosing in a public school. If for example, an individual was born male and once they entered high school they identified as a female, they should not be allowed to change in the women’s locker room. They should not be forced to change in the men’s locker room either, and schools should provide a third option for these students to have a changing location that makes them feel comfortable.
 
Public schools limit constitutional rights of students in order to ensure a safe learning environment to the highest amount of students as possible. It is not appropriate to allow an individual born a man that now identifies as a woman to change in the woman’s locker room so they feel comfortable while simultaneously making a majority of women in the school uncomfortable when other reasonable accommodations can be made. It would not be appropriate to allow an individual born a woman that now identifies as a man to change in the men’s locker room either for the same reasons.
 
In matters involving individuals in state custody, if an incarcerated individual has had a long-standing practice of identifying with a gender that is opposite of their birth gender, then they should be placed in prison that is appropriate with their pre-established gender. That being said, someone that has not identified with a gender different from their birth gender prior to their arrest, should not be able to switch genders while they are incarcerated and hypothetically allow a male to now identify as a woman and be placed in a women’s prison. There is at least one instance where a man was sent to prison for rape, once in prison he identified as a woman, was sent to a women’s prison, and then began sexually assaulting women. I do not support situations where this is likely to occur and I would not wish to see this become a growing trend. I believe the above stated scenarios would limit these instances.

KWAME RAOUL: 

I support enforcing anti-discrimination laws so that they protect those discriminated against on the basis of gender identity. My record reflects my support of transgender rights, equality and safety; for example, I supported the modernization of Illinois’ birth certificate laws in 2017. As attorney general, I will ensure that the office’s personnel practices are respectful and inclusive and that the work environment is affirming, with zero tolerance for bullying.

The federal Department of Education under Secretary DeVos has rolled back protections for transgender students, and the Trump administration has argued that federal anti-discrimination laws do not protect transgender people. I unequivocally oppose these steps backward. As attorney general, I will step up in defense of transgender Illinoisans, taking action whenever appropriate to oppose the administration’s overly narrow interpretation of federal law. I will also utilize the Illinois Human Rights Act to defend transgender rights in this state.

 

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