5 Anti-LGBTQ+ Bills Proposed in Illinois
As a democratic state, Illinois has been noted as one of the safer places for the LGBTQ+ community in our nation. Especially in the City of Chicago, with neighborhoods like Northalsted where the community flourishes. Yet, in 2023, four state representatives and one state senator have introduced anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in the state of Illinois. These bills involve bathroom and sports segregation, sex reassignment surgery, and removing curriculum.
Trans Legislation Tracker (TLT), a data analyst project assembled by independent researchers, has been actively tracking the legislation across the country. According to the TLT, 589 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been filed throughout 2023, exceeding twice the number of legislation in 2022.
Within Illinois, there have been five anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced — House Bills 1071, 1561, 2184, 4096, and Senate Bill 1659.
House Bill 1071 was proposed by Representative Chris Miller on January 12, 2023, and is currently being referred to the House Rules Committee. The bill outlines that the state cannot threaten to withhold funding from an educational institution if it refuses to allow gender-neutral bathrooms.
When asked why he proposed this bill, Rep. Miller stated: “I filed this legislation because I stand against the liberal narrative that men with male genitals can identify as women and vice versa in order to use whatever private space they want. A fully intact male should not be able to walk into a locker room where little girls are changing just because they are confused about their gender. We have seen examples of this right here in Illinois, and I do not put it past the state to threaten public funding in order to enforce their extreme left agenda.”
Upon further inquiry on how this bill may impact LGBTQ+ students, Rep. Miller’s response was: “Students who are confused about their gender should be encouraged to seek therapy or mental health assistance in order to help them understand basic biology and anatomy.”
The second bill regarding sex-segregated spaces such as locker rooms and bathrooms is Senate Bill 1659, which was proposed by Senator Andrew S. Chesney on February 8, 2023. The bill is currently being referred to Assignments. This bill states that educational institutions are allowed to regulate and restrict access to public restrooms, locker rooms, and other similar places based on ‘biological sex.’ Upon inquiring for clarity, Sen. Chesney declined to comment.
The third bill, House Bill 1562, was proposed on January 1, 2023, by Representative David Friess regarding gender segregation within girls’ sports, requiring parents to verify the child’s biological sex before sports enrollment. This bill is currently being referred to the House Rules Committee.
When asked why the bill focuses on girls’ sports rather than boys, Rep. Friess stated “Boys are simply bigger, faster, and stronger” — explaining that a “biological male” (a transgender girl) would have ‘more advantages’ than a cisgender girl due to biological anatomy. Due to this justification, Rep. Friess noted this bill as a “pro-women athlete bill” rather than an anti-LGBTQ+ bill.
The next piece of legislation concerns education; House Bill 2184 was proposed by Representative Adam M. Niemerg on March 16, 2023. The bill is co-sponsored by Rep. Miller, and it is currently referred to the House Rules Committee. This bill states that any curriculum deemed ‘offensive’ to parents or guardians is optional for their children to partake in, along with the risk of said curriculum getting its funding pulled if voted against.
House Bill 2184 is not the first bill threatening educational freedom. Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” Bill removed LGBTQ+ curriculum and discussion within educational institutions if deemed “not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students.” Upon reaching out for comment on how this bill may compare or contrast with Florida’s, Rep. Niemerg did not respond to The Leader.
The final bill, House Bill 4096, was proposed by Representative Tom Weber on May 17, 2023. The bill states that any physician who violates the prohibition of sex-reassignment procedures for patients younger than 18 will have their license revoked. HB4096 amends the Medical Practice Act of 1987, the Hospital Licensing Act, the Ambulatory Surgical Treatment Center Act, and the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act to provide for emergency rulemaking. Currently, HB4096 is being referred to the House Rules Committee. Upon reaching out through numerous avenues for comment, Rep. Tom Weber did not respond.
Although Illinois has become a safe haven for LGBTQ+ individuals in recent years, the introduction of this legislation can take a toll on individuals. According to the Trevor Project, 41% of LGBTQ+ young people seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year. In addition to that, 56% of LGBTQ+ young people who wanted mental health care in the past year were not able to get it.
The Trevor Project’s 2023 National Survey on the mental health of LGBTQ+ young people also found that about half of transgender and nonbinary youth find their school to be gender-affirming, and those who did report lower rates of attempting suicide.
Additionally, nearly 1 in 3 LGBTQ+ young people said their mental health was poor most of the time or always due to anti-LGBTQ+ policies and legislation. Nearly 2 in 3 LGBTQ+ young people said that hearing about potential state or local laws banning people from discussing LGBTQ+ people at school made their mental health a lot worse, according to the Trevor Project.
There are numerous organizations within Illinois who offer support to LGBTQ+ individuals such as Equality Illinois, the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance, and Howard Brown Health Center.
Many nationwide organizations also offer support, such as The Trevor Project, The Human Rights Campaign, The LGBT National Help Center, the Trans Lifeline Hotline, and more.
