Illinois moves toward gender inclusivity as others move away

By CLAIRE SAVAGE
Associated Press/Report for America

CHICAGO (AP) — Illinois lawmakers passed a trio of bills that would update existing laws to be more gender inclusive and add protections for LGBTQ marriages. Gov. J.B. Pritzker has said he will sign them. Passed Thursday, the bills are meant to move the state in the “opposite direction” of those restricting transgender and LGBTQ youth, said Sen. Mike Simmons, the bills’ sponsor and the first and only current “out” LGBTQ lawmaker in the Illinois Senate. Illinois is one of several U.S. states that have moved to counteract a surge of anti-LGBTQ legislation in mostly Republican-led states.