Tag: transgender

Trans Americans are fleeing to Illinois. Here’s why:

While Illinois has moved to protect access to gender-affirming care and enshrined civil rights for the LGBTQ+ community overall, four of the five states that border Illinois have all seen a massive rise in bills that target the queer community, especially transgender youth. According to the ACLU’s anti-LGBTQ legislation tracker, Missouri’s state legislature has considered 48 bills in 2023 alone that would negatively impact the queer community in areas ranging from healthcare to education to free speech and expression.

Providers say Illinois set to become haven for gender-affirming care

As states around the Midwest consider and pass policies restricting access to gender-affirming care and the rights of transgender individuals, many say Illinois is moving towards becoming a haven for gender-affirming healthcare and trans rights in general.  Some trans people say it already is one.  Michelle Hanlon, a nurse at the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District and trans

Urbana church remembers Colorado club shooting and transgender violence victims

URBANA – The deadly mass shooting at a Colorado nightclub was on the minds of Urbana churchgoers as they remembered transgender people who were violently killed. Nearly 50 people gathered Sunday night at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Urbana-Champaign. The vigil was already scheduled to remember transgender people murdered within the last year but had extra

Transgender Students Protest Deadnaming At University of Illinois Graduation.

URBANA – Donned in a blue and orange cap and gown, Cyrus Arnieri had prepared for his graduation ceremony at the University of Illinois longer than most. As a transgender student, Arnieri says he had been corresponding with the University for months to ensure his preferred name was called at the ceremony.  Despite legally changing his

Illinois Lawmakers Vote For LGBTQ Equality Along Party Lines

WASHINGTON — Illinois lawmakers voted along party lines Thursday, as the House of Representatives voted 224-206 to pass H.R. 5, titled the Equality Act, a bill to protect LGBTQ Americans from discrimination. Listen to this story here. An earlier version of the bill passed the House once before in 2019, with the support of eight