The 21st Show

Illinois is set to protect gender-affirming care. What does that look like?

Produced by Christine Hatfield
 
Trans-rights activists protest outside the House chamber at the state Capitol before the State of the State address on Feb. 6 in Oklahoma City.

Trans-rights activists protest outside the House chamber at the state Capitol before the State of the State address on Feb. 6 in Oklahoma City. Sue Ogrocki/AP

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Trans communities across the country have increasingly come under attack. Families in some states have had to uproot themselves, sometimes in a matter of days, to escape policies banning care for transgender youth. Illinois recently became one of the states those families could go to, thanks to a new law in Illinois that provides protections for people who provide or receive gender-affirming care. It also protects information about gender-affirming care from being subject to court orders from other states.

To discuss how laws in Illinois and across the country are affecting transgender people, we were joined by a journalist and a panel of LGBTQ advocates. 

GUESTS: 

Reyna Ortiz

Program Director, Taskforce Prevention and Community Services

Alana Banks

Decatur School Board Member, LGBTQ Activist, Board Trustee, Decatur Public Library 

Brian C. Johnson

CEO, Equality Illinois

Orion Rummler

LGBTQ+ Reporter, The 19th

 

 

Prepared for web by Owen Henderson

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