Issue Position: LGBT Rights

Issue Position

All Illinoisans deserve full civil rights under the law, and my work is guided by the belief that we have certain unalienable rights, including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. An important group that has suffered discrimination in our society is the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Since my early days at Chicago Women's Health Center, and continuing in my work at the Illinois Maternal and Child Health Coalition, I have championed the rights of the LGBT community, including:

* Developing programs to support lesbian and gay families.

* Addressing anti-gay and anti-transgender violence in Illinois schools through partnerships with school health centers and safe schools advocates.

* Advocating for confidential HIV testing and AIDS treatment, regardless of ability to pay.

* Promoting health and mental health care access for lesbian and bisexual women.

* Advocating for the amendment adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the Illinois Human Rights Act, a struggle that took 30 years to complete.

Members of the LGBT community are often leaders in many of the civil rights struggles of our time, and our cross-issue alliances are central to moving forward the big issues of the day. While the national conversation on gay marriage is important, advancing the rights of the LGBT community in a variety of ways -- employment, safety, healthcare, immigration - has been an important struggle I have participated in for many years. I am proud to be a strong ally in the fight for civil rights for the LGBT community, as I fight for civil rights of all disenfranchised groups.

My Plan:

In Springfield, I will work on a number of issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity, including:

* Anti-bullying legislation that is inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity.
* Full marriage equality for the LGBT community.
* Addressing health disparities, including sexual orientation and gender identity.

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