Just moments ago the Illinois Senate passed the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act (SB 10) on a vote of 34 to 21. The bill, which now moves on to the House, enjoys wide-ranging support from Illinois voters, President Barack Obama, Gov. Pat Quinn, Illinois GOP Chair Pat Brady and former RNC Chair Ken Mehlman, [...]

What does Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn have in common with every single U.S. state governor who has signed marriage equality legislation? He’s Catholic. Gov. Quinn, an enthusiastic supporter of marriage equality, promised attendees at Equality Illinois‘s Justice For All Gala this past weekend that “This week will be a historic week in Illinois. … This [...]

Chairman of the Illinois Republican Party Pat Brady “is calling GOP lawmakers asking them to support a proposal to legalize same-sex marriage,” the Daily Herald reports. “I think it’s time for people to support this,” Brady is quoted as saying. Brady was speaking “as a citizen”, not in his capacity as GOP chair. Update: Mr. [...]

The Illinois state Legislature is gearing up to consider passage of The Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act (HB5170), a marriage equality bill.  Unsurprisingly Cardinal Francis George, Catholic Archbishop of Chicago, opposes the bill. What is surprising is Cardinal George’s reliance on “natural law”, not Bible references, to make his case.  From the letter “Same-sex [...]

 Congratulations Illinois!  Today is the first day that civil union licenses are available in Illinois.  The Chicago Tribune has posted a few short videos to document the day. When I watch these videos, I see such a mix of emotions in the people involved.  I see clerks super happy to finally be able to treat [...]

GenderQueer Chicago has launched an initiative to have friendly Chicago businesses identify themselves to trans customers.  Talk about turning the bathroom meme on its head.  It’s positive, it’s proactive, it puts the lie to the bathroom meme…I think I like this idea!  What say you, transfolk? CHICAGO- In an unprecedented effort to make the city [...]

Update 2: The IL Senate passed the CU bill by a vote of 32-24-1. The bill now heads to Gov. Pat Quinn for his signature.  Reactions below the fold. Update: Equality Illinois is doing some live coverage of the debates on their Facebook page. On the heels of passage of the civil unions bill (“Illinois [...]

Update: Just as I posted this diary, the news came out that the IL House of Representatives has passed the civil unions law!  On the the Senate!  Gov. Patrick Quinn has promised to sign the bill into law. From Equality Illinois: We did it! The Illinois House of Representatives passed the Illinois Religious Freedom Protection [...]

Illinois State Senator Heather Steans has just popped the question, according to Phil Reese over at Bilerico.  Emphasis mine. State Senator Heather Steans became the first Illinois Senator to introduce a marriage equality bill – SB2468 the Equal Marriage Act – in that chamber. … Representative Greg Harris had already introduced a similar bill earlier [...]