Homosexuality
    ✔ Legal
    Gay Marriage
    ✔ Legal
    Censorship
    ✔ No censorship
    Changing Gender
    ✔ Legal, no restrictions
    Gender-Affirming Care
    ✔ Legal
    Non-Binary Gender Recognition
    ✔ Recognized
    Discrimination
    ✔ Illegal
    Employment Discrimination
    ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
    Housing Discrimination
    ✔ Sexual orientation and gender identity
    Adoption
    ✔ Legal
    Intersex Infant Surgery
    Unknown
    Military
    ✔ Legal
    Donating Blood
    Unknown
    Conversion Therapy
    ✔ Banned
    Age of Consent
    ✔ Equal
💬 Join Equaldex's LGBTQ+ Discord to discuss LGBT rights and chat!

Surveys in Illinois have shown mixed views towards LGBTQ+ rights and issues.

Perception of LGBTQ+ People

Survey results from 5 LGBTQ+ Equaldex users who lived in or visited Illinois.

Overall

Overall

Perceived Safety*

Feel safe being open
Absence of verbal harassment
Absence of threats and violence
*Survey results represent personal perceptions of safety and may not be indicative of current actual conditions.

Equal Treatment

Treatment by peers
Treatment by family
Treatment at work
Treatment at school
Treatment by general public
Treatment by businesses
Treatment by law enforcement
Treatment by religious groups

Visibility & Representation

Inclusion in education
Representation in entertainment
Representation in news
Political support
Out public figures

Culture

Pride/events
Nightlife
Dating life
Interest groups and clubs

Services

Health and wellness
Gender-affirming care
Support and social services
Advocacy and legal

History

Homosexual activity in Illinois

?

Homosexual activity in Illinois is legal.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 1962
Legal
Legislative repeal, effective 1962. First state to repeal sodomy law.
Sources:
Laws of Illinois 1961, page 1983, enacted July 28, 1961, effective Jan. 1, 1962.
Report error  ·  Log

Same-sex marriage in Illinois

?

Same-sex marriage in Illinois is legal.

Current status
Since Nov 20, 2013
Legal
In 2013, Illinois legalized same-sex marriage.
Report error  ·  Log

Censorship of LGBT issues in Illinois

?

Censorship of LGBT issues in Illinois is no censorship.

Current status
No censorship
There are no laws that censor the LGBTQ community in Illinois.

Illinois actually requires schools to teach students about the LGBTQ community.
Report error  ·  Log

Right to change legal gender in Illinois

?

Right to change legal gender in Illinois is legal, no restrictions.

Current status
Since Jan 1, 2018
Legal, no restrictions
As of 2018, Illinois has made a update to a Vital records act stating that people are able to get their birth certificates updated. Drivers Licenses are also able to be updated to the correct gender.
Sources:
ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/i…
aclu-il.org/en/campaigns/ch…
cdn.plannedparenthood.org/u…
dph.illinois.gov/topics-ser…~:text=An%20individual%20born%20in%20Illinois,on%20their%20own%20birth%20certificate.
ilsos.gov/departments/drive…~:text=If%20an%20applicant%20changes%20their,for%20a%20corrected%20identification%20card.
Report error  ·  Log

Gender-affirming care in Illinois

?

Gender-affirming care in Illinois is legal.

Current status
Legal
Illinois has no specific laws on gender affirming care, however Illinois has allowed minors with parental consent to gender affirming care. Adults may get gender affirming care as well.

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Illinois

?

Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Illinois is recognized.

Current status
Since Jul 1, 2023
Recognized
On July 1st, 2023 non-binary people were given the option of “X” on their birth certificate. Although non-binary options for drivers licenses and ids were legalized in 2019, it wasn’t until March 29th, 2024 that technology issues in the Illinois DMV became resolved and allowed for a non-binary option.
Until Jul 1, 2023
Not legally recognized
Before July 1st, 2023, non-binary people could not put their gender as “X” on official documents.

LGBT discrimination in Illinois

?

LGBT discrimination in Illinois is illegal.

Current status
Illegal
People are protected from discrimination based upon both sexual orientation and gender identification.
Report error  ·  Log

LGBT employment discrimination in Illinois

?

LGBT employment discrimination in Illinois is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status
Since 2006
Sexual orientation and gender identity
State law provides for protections against employment discrimination in regards to both sexual orientation and gender identification.
Report error  ·  Log

LGBT housing discrimination in Illinois

?

LGBT housing discrimination in Illinois is sexual orientation and gender identity.

Current status
Sexual orientation and gender identity
This state explicitly bans housing discrimination based upon sexual orientation and gender identification.

Additionally, the Human Rights Campaign states, "The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires grantees and participants of HUD programs to comply with local and state non-discrimination laws that include sexual orientation and gender identity.
HUD also prohibits inquiries regarding the sexual orientation or gender identity of a prospective tenant or applicant for assisted
housing in every state (March 2012)."
Report error  ·  Log

Same-sex adoption in Illinois

?

Same-sex adoption in Illinois is legal.

Current status
Legal
All forms of adoption are accessible to LGBT persons per state law.
Sources:
www.lambdalegal.org/states-region/illinois
Report error  ·  Log

Intersex infant surgery in Illinois

?

Intersex infant surgery in Illinois is unknown.

Current status
Unknown

Serving openly in military in Illinois

?

Serving openly in military in Illinois is legal.

Current status
Since Feb 26, 2021
Legal under federal United States law
President Biden removed former President Trumps ban on transgender people serving in the military, transgender people are still allowed to serve as of 2024.


A year after the ban was lifted, Admiral Levine was sworn into being an Admiral, becoming the first transgender woman to hold a high rank in the Navy and in Cabinet.
Apr 11, 2019–Feb 26, 2021
Lesbians, gays, bisexuals permitted, transgender people banned under federal United States law
New policy goes into effect barring individuals with a "condition" known as "gender dysphoria."
Report error  ·  Log
Sep 20, 2011–Apr 11, 2019
Legal under federal United States law
In 2011, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was repealed by the Obama Administration. Former President Obama allowed members who were dishonorably discharged under DADT, to receive an honorable discharge.
Dec 21, 1993–Sep 20, 2011
Don't Ask, Don't Tell under federal United States law
Don't Ask, Don't Tell was the historic compromise signed by President Bill Clinton authorizing people who are LGBT to serve in the military provided they didn't disclose sexuality. The law also removed the ability for others in the military from asking for a service member's orientation.
Sources:
gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-104p…
catalog.archives.gov/id/122244870 *official document for DADT signed by Former President Clinton*
gao.gov/assets/nsiad-92-98.pdf *study from 1992 to 1998*
history.com/news/dont-ask-d…
Report error  ·  Log

Blood donations by MSMs in Illinois

?

Blood donations by MSMs in Illinois is unknown.

Current status
Unknown

Conversion therapy in Illinois

?

Conversion therapy in Illinois is banned.

Current status
Since Aug 20, 2015
Banned
The Governor signed into law banning conversation therapy for youth. THe law will go into effect on January 1st, 2016.
Report error  ·  Log
Until Aug 20, 2015
Ambiguous
Conversion Therapy is currently legal. No law currently bans it, despite organizations such as the American Psychological Association denouncing it. Though it's not actually ambiguous (It is in fact legal), this is the best indicator of the available options.

Equal age of consent in Illinois

?

Equal age of consent in Illinois is equal.

Current status
Equal
only condition is if the person has authority over them.
Report error  ·  Log