- 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
- ✔ Legal
- Conversion Therapy
- ✔ Banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
💬 Join Equaldex's LGBTQ+ Discord to discuss LGBT rights and chat!
Public Opinion
Surveys in Illinois have shown mixed views towards LGBTQ+ rights and issues.
OPPOSE
SUPPORT
Perception of LGBTQ+ People
Survey results from 6 LGBTQ+ Equaldex users who lived in or visited Illinois.
Overall
Perceived Safety**Survey results represent personal perceptions of safety and may not be indicative of current actual conditions.
Equal Treatment
Visibility & Representation
Culture
Services
History
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.
Illinois actually requires schools to teach students about the LGBTQ community.
Right to change legal gender in Illinois is legal, no restrictions.
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 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.
LGBT discrimination in Illinois is illegal.
Current status
Illegal
People are protected from discrimination based upon both sexual orientation and gender identification.
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.
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)."
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)."
Same-sex adoption in Illinois is legal.
Current status
Legal
All forms of adoption are accessible to LGBT persons per state law.
Intersex infant surgery in Illinois is unknown.
Current status
Unknown
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.
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.
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."
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.
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.
Blood donations by MSMs in Illinois is legal.
Current status
Since May 11, 2023
Legal under federal United States law
The new FDA policy on blood donation eliminates deferrals and screening questions specific to men who have sex with men (MSM). Prospective donors will be asked the same set of questions regardless of their sex or sexual orientation.
Banned (less than 6-month deferral) under federal United States law
The FDA announced changes to the blood donor eligibility policy in April 2020, reducing the MSM deferral period from 12 months to 3 months. The change came amid the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, where blood was needed urgently.
Banned (1-year deferral) under federal United States law
After a series of recommendations, the FDA has moved to a 12 months deferral.
Banned (indefinite deferral) under federal United States law
Starting in 1983, the United States implemented a full ban on blood donations from gay men. The primary justification for the ban was the perceived high risk of HIV transmission, with health regulators identifying men who have sex with men (MSM) as a significant risk to the safety of the blood supply.
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.
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 is equal.
Current status
Equal
only condition is if the person has authority over them.
United States Equality Rank
#210
Interest Rank based on Equaldex traffic ?
Top Contributors
- Unknownmiles 6 contributions
- imullin01 5 contributions
- vviet93 4 contributions
- qcksws 3 contributions
- garrettdietz 1 contribution
- Hearts4Al 1 contribution
- Notdog1996 1 contribution
Illinois LGBT Organizations
Share Region
LGBT Illinois Flag
