Illinois state Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago, speaks Friday at a press convention at the UIC Forum about a summit on trans rights. Cassidy drew attention to some legislative victories on trans rights in Illinois and also noted that Sunday is International Trans Day. of Visibility.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
Transgender network leaders across the country on Friday called for less restrictive investment in social media for trans people in need at the first-ever Transgender Health and Wellness Summit in Chicago.
The event, organized through the city’s fitness branch and LGBTQ social organization Life Is Work, began by focusing on recent policies affecting the state’s transgender population. It included panel discussions on a variety of topics.
Antonio King, LGBTQ fitness and outreach liaison for the Department of Health, said what he heard at the summit, whether from the panels and speakers and others in the crowd, would indicate future policies and movements. This includes how it will now set up an organization of the Ministry of Health.
“We don’t know the reports that trans people receive and we don’t know how it’s most beneficial to them,” King said after attending a consultation on harm relief care. “It’s an opportunity for us to be more informed. “
While speakers affirmed that Illinois is considered a haven state for other transgender people, with legislative victories such as an “X” marker for non-binary gender and protective legislation protecting physical care providers from lawmakers who oppose them for offering gender-affirming care. They said there is still work to be done and progress is fragile.
Some efforts are accompanied by the decriminalization of sexual portrayal because of the way sexual portrayal legislation has been used to target trans people. State Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago, also announced she is running for tax credits for trans people fleeing persecution in other states, and suggested that more LGBTQ people run for office.
It’s part of a wave of recent bills in the Illinois House of Representatives aimed at helping trans people, such as HB5164, which would cap call replacement fees at $25 while also changing the requirement that whoever changes their call publish it in a newspaper and allow call adjustments to be made. Kept confidential from public records.
Another bill introduced in February, HB5507, would allow Illinois judges to record documents supporting call adjustments in other jurisdictions when other people find it more difficult to obtain the documents needed to replace their call elsewhere.
Precious Brady-Davis, commissioner of the Greater Chicago Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, speaks Friday at a press convention at the UIC Forum to highlight Illinois’ legislative victories and Trans Day of Visibility.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
However, advocates say much of the government’s investment aimed at helping trans people has been related to HIV, whether in medication or care. These restrictions on how the budget is used mean that many other people can’t get assistance for what they need. such as locating housing or locating and preparing for employment.
“If someone gets a new job, maybe they want boots and passports,” said Flomichelle Battles, executive director of the Trans Solutions Research and Resource Center, an Indianapolis-based advocacy group. “But if all that money is tied to housing or life, HIV-positive, what about the young woman who still needs to go to work?
Battles also said it plans to host an event in Indianapolis and hopes it expands to the Midwest.
“Now I can go to the city of Indianapolis and say, ‘This is what Chicapass is doing for their trans organizations, what are you doing for yours?'” said Battles. “It’s precisely what we need, what others think we need. “
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