Navigating Laws
Campus Considerations
Discrimination and Bias
Policy on Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual MisconductOffice of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance
Bias Incident Response Team (BRIT)
How to Submit an Incident Report
Right to Assembly/Protest
Student Conduct
Northwestern University Student Handbook
Local Considerations
Amendment to Chicago’s Human Rights Ordinance Section 2-160-070
- Law that allows people to use public accommodations such as bathrooms and services, according to their preferred gender without having to show proof.
Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Discrimination
- City of Chicago’s protections of LGBTQ+ people in the areas of housing, employment, public accommodation, credit, and bonding.
Evanston Public Library’s Workplace Transition Policy
- Protections for Evanston’s public library’s transgender employees.
Evanston/Skokie Community Consolidated School District 65 Procedure for Student Gender Support
- Protections for transgender and nonbinary students within the Evanston/Skokie school district.
Illinois Considerations
Illinois Sexual Harassment and Discrimination Helpline
- Reporting resource for anyone who experiences discrimination within the state of Illinois.
Public Act 099-0411 HB 0217 Youth Mental Health Protection
- Law that prohibits conversion therapy for youths under 18 years old. Medical professionals who provide or recommend conversion therapy are subject to have their licenses revoked and to any other disciplinary actions as demanded by their regulatory authority.
Guidance on Protection of Students in Illinois
- Guide on Illinois Human Rights Act within a school setting, including how to report a violation. Also includes enforcement mechanisms.
Illinois Department of Human Rights
- Where Illinois residents may file reports of violations to their human rights. Any form discrimination which violates the Illinois Human Rights Act, which includes protection of LGBTQ+ people, should be reported to the Illinois Department of Human Rights.
Public Act 099-0077 HB 3930 CRIM CD&COR-Sexual Orientation
- Legal protection against bodily harm done due to hate against gender and sexual orientation.
Public Act 102-0170 HB 3709 INS Code-Infertility Coverage
- Repealed Illinois 1973 infertility laws, which discriminated against LGBTQ+ couples, and demands that health insurance, of companies that have 25 or more employees, provide the same benefits to LGBTQ+ individuals.
Public Act 102-171 SB 0139 IMDMA-Marriage Certificates
- Its purpose is to ensure that transgender and nonbinary people have the means to put their preferred name and gender on their marriage certificate.
Public Act 100-0460 CRIM CD-Sexual Orientation
- Procedure for how to change one’s name on their marriage certificate. It’s the enforcement law for statue Public Act 102-0171.
Movement Advancement Project: Illinois Equality Project
- Webpage and check list that covers all the legal protections that LGBTQ+ people have in the State of Illinois.
- Repeals the Illinois law which criminalized the transmission of HIV and adds protections to those who have HIV.
- This statue allows LGBTQ+ people to adopt and gives them the same protections as heterosexual, cisgender people.
- Case law that establishes protections for LGBTQ parents.
Public Act 103-0022 Children-Pronouns-References
- Illinois law that adds gender neutral language to the foster care and adoption law. It also makes it clear that it is against the law to discriminate against non-cisgender individuals who are in the Illinois foster care system.
Federal Considerations
Bostock v. Clay County, 590 U.S._ (2020) Supreme Court of the United States
- Supreme Court Case that applies Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to protect all employees from discrimination because of sex and gender identity. Landmark Supreme Court Case.
Out-side of Illinois Considerations
Queer people and communities exist on all parts of this earth whether legally recognized or not. If you consider traveling it is useful to know the laws that might impact your experience and the protections you are afforded in some countries as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community find more here: