Illinois debuts legal hotline for LGBTQ+ support
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Illinois continues to buck the federal trend of stripping rights from LGBTQ+ people.
Why it matters: President Trump's slew of executive orders and policies attacking LGBTQ+ people—from cutting HIV research funding to blocking gender-affirming passports— are driving LGBTQ+ people to the courts for protection.
Driving the news: Launching Monday, IL Pride Connect is a hotline for LGBTQ+ people seeking help with questions about health care, including gender-affirming care, discrimination, identity documents, housing and other legal issues.
- It was developed by Illinois Legal Council for Health Justice, with support from the Illinois Department of Human Services and private funding.
Context: Gov. Pritzker announced the hotline Thursday after declaring Illinois "one of the most comprehensive systems of legal protection and health equity in the entire nation."
- He continues to frame Illinois as a refuge for people under attack by Trump, a regular Pritzker foe.
How it works: Attorneys and legal advocates at the Council will field calls to the 855-805-9200 hotline from 9am–4pm Monday–Thursday. Services are available in English and Spanish.
- Callers from out of state will be directed to pro-bono legal aid in their own states.
Case in point: Orr v. Trump involves the ACLU suing the Trump administration on behalf of a class of plaintiffs who were denied passports that did not adhere to the person's sex designation assigned at birth.
- A judge in April temporarily barred enforcement of the passport policy and this summer expanded who can be included in that lawsuit.
- IL Pride Connect can tell callers whether they can be included in that class and direct them to the ACLU.
What they're saying: "We've seen all these anti-trans laws percolating in the state houses, and as more of the problems have come to fruition under the new administration, I think the time is just essential," Council executive director Julie Justicz tells Axios.
- "We've been getting calls from folks saying, 'What do I do? I'm scared,' and the time was right, and the political will was there," referring to Pritzker's support.