Trump admin. halts federal money to local HIV/AIDS community groups

Funding for HIV services is the likely victim of a longtime Republican goal of devolving power to the states.

The Trump administration notified the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) last month that it would cease a years-long community grant program funding local organizations that provide HIV testing, referrals for care, PrEP and Doxy PEP, and outbreak response measures. About 96 organizations are currently recipients of the direct federal grants worth $46 million, Roll Call reported.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB), under the direction of longtime Heritage Foundation official Russel Vought, has stripped that money from the CDC and is redirecting it as supplemental funding to state health agencies, which will then decide whether or not the money goes to the same HIV-focused local organizations.

“For decades, direct federal investment in community-based HIV prevention has helped trusted local organizations reach people and communities that traditional health systems too often fail to serve,” AIDS United, a DC nonprofit focused on ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic, said in a statement condemning the decision.

“We cannot end the HIV epidemic by dismantling the trusted community systems that make prevention possible,” Carl Baloney, the group’s CEO, said. “This decision threatens access to testing, PrEP, PEP and care — and will ultimately lead to preventable HIV transmissions, program closures and higher health care costs.”

AIDS United and other HIV/AIDS-focused providers watched with dismay as the Trump administration dismantled similar HIV-prevention efforts overseas, through the dismemberment of USAID and scaling back PEPFAR, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. President Donald Trump’s own stated desire to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic in his first term is another casualty of that slashed funding, and the OMB’s latest action is contrary to that goal, AIDS United said.

“Federal, state and local government partners all have vital roles to play in HIV prevention,” the group continued. “But the United States cannot end the HIV epidemic without significant financial support for community-based organizations that are connected to, trusted by and staffed by people from the communities most affected by HIV.”

Ending the direct grants puts “trusted community services at risk—particularly those serving Black and Latino communities, LGBTQ+ people, people in the South, and others disproportionately affected by HIV.”

Carl Schmid, executive director of the DC-based HIV+ Hepatitis Policy Institute, agreed that handing funding decisions to the states could break a successful chain of prevention efforts. While DC and other blue state governments may already have open lines to local groups, “other states and jurisdictions don’t have that relationship with the community-based organizations,” he told the Washington Blade.

“It depends on the state,” Schmid said, adding, “Not all states send their money to the communities that really need it most. And not all states are fast in getting money to the community-based organizations.”

Another factor that could slow down community groups’ efforts: the loss of steep drug discounts available to recipients of the federal grants.

“They could still qualify as a sub-grantee from a state,” Schmid said. “But what if they don’t get that grant again? They would not be able to qualify to obtain the drugs” at the discounted price, he said.

Even while condemning the administration for the change, AIDS United seemed resigned to the new arrangement, asking “State and local health departments receiving supplemental funds to prioritize continued support for the community-based organizations currently delivering these services and prevent disruptions in care and prevention.”

July 30, 2026 0

Polish president vetoes bills to recognize same-sex couples

Read more at LGBTQ Nation.

The president of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, vetoed two bills last week that would have extended recognition to same-sex couples.

The bills would have created “cohabitation contracts,” according to Reuters, which would have given some legal recognition to same-sex couples when it comes to medical information, property rights, and funeral arrangements.

The bills were part of reforms promised when Prime Minister Donald Tusk took office in 2023, which included measures regarding LGBTQ+ people’s rights and abortion. The current ruling coalition in parliament is considered liberal and pro-European.

Nawrocki, though, ran as an independent in 2025 after having been chosen as the candidate for the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party, moving the country to the right. He said that the cohabitation contracts were too similar to marriage.

“These proposals create a new, formalized institution of family law, equipped with a broad catalog of rights similar to those of marriage,” he said in a statement. He said that the bills would lead to “the loss of the special status of marriage,” defined as “a union of a man and a woman under the protection and care of the Republic of Poland.”

LGBTQ+ rights advocates denounced the vetoes. The organization Campaign Against Homophobia said that the bills were “merely a fragment” of what they wanted to get when it comes to domestic partnership rights in the country.

“Today’s veto of the bill, however, shows that even the absolute minimum of rights the bill was intended to provide is too much for the president,” the group said.

Former Equality Minister and New Left Member of Parliament Katarzyna Kotula said Nawroicki “turned his back on 2 million people living today in informal relationships.”

Earlier this year, a gay couple who traveled to Berlin to get married won the right in court to have their marriage recognized in Poland.

July 23, 2026 0

Church conference votes to leave Idaho due to transphobic climate

Read more at LGBTQ Nation.

A Methodist conference that was scheduled to take place in Boise, Idaho, next year will have to find a new venue as its members voted to leave the state out of concerns for the safety of transgender and nonbinary participants

The United Methodist Church held its annual Oregon-Idaho Conference at the Cathedral of the Rockies in Boise from June 18 to 20, and it was supposed to return to the same church in 2027. But the state’s transphobic climate has gotten so bad that a majority of the council (52-48) voted to change venues for next year.

The vote happened after a nonbinary reverend had to take their wife to an emergency room.

“I experienced some microaggressions that made me feel very anxious and unsafe,” they told the conference on its third day, according to Boise State Public Radio. “I’m asking you to consider relocating our next annual conference to a location where more of our community will feel safe and be present and participate.”

The outlet said that it did not name the nonbinary reverend who spoke because they have already been the target of “hateful rhetoric.”

Rev. Heather Riggs of the Montavilla United Methodist Church in Portland, Oregon, introduced a motion to hold the 2027 conference outside of Idaho in “a location that is safe for all.”

“Harm has already been done at this year’s conference,” she said.

The debate that followed was “an opportunity for the body to talk about… LGBTQ sentiment in Idaho,” Bishop Cedric Bridgeforth, the leader of the Greater Northwest United Methodist region, told Boise State Public Radio. “So, there’s a struggle of values on whether to stay or to retreat.”

Bridgeforth wrote in a blog post in June that the close vote on the motion “reflects the complexity, pain, conviction, and concern present among us.”

“During the conversation, members named serious concerns about safety, racism, anti-trans rhetoric and action, and the lived realities of people of color, immigrants, queer and trans siblings, and others who are targeted by hate, laws, policies, and public speech,” he wrote. “A specific anti-trans incident that occurred in Boise during this annual conference was also reported. These concerns must be heard, received, and not minimized. All harm is harm.”

“At the same time, members spoke with deep conviction about the need to remain present in Idaho and to support the people who live, serve, lead, and love here every day. We cannot allow a decision about where to hold an annual conference session to become a retreat from our witness in Idaho or a rejection of the people who are faithfully serving here.”

Trans independent journalist Erin Reed just labeled Idaho a “Do Not Travel” state in her Anti-Trans National Legal Risk Assessment Map, which already ranked Florida, Texas, and Kansas as such. Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R) signed a bill this year that criminalizes trans people’s use of restrooms consistent with one’s gender, making using the restroom in even private businesses something that could result in a prison sentence. That was just one of 15 anti-LGBTQ+ bills Little signed into law in the past several years.

Rev. Jenny Hirst of Collister United Methodist Church in Boise was one of the clergy members who voted against the resolution, and she told the Idaho Statesman that “there are many people who are working tirelessly to change and challenge those policies, and to build a different future for all people here.”

Hirst said she worried that the resolution will be seen as abandoning trans and nonbinary people in Idaho.

“Idaho needs the witness and solidarity of the wider church and denomination now more than ever,” she said. “Loving Idaho means telling the truth about what is happening, while continuing to show up and work for something better.”

She also said that the resolution was introduced late in the conference, when people were exhausted, and many had already left.

The Oregon-Idaho conference represents 145 Methodist churches in those two states, and the annual meeting usually involves discussions about budgets, compensation, and practical projects.

July 22, 2026 0

Mid-Atlantic Progress: How LGBTQ+ Protections Stack Up in NJ, MD, DE, and VA

While the national conversation around LGBTQ+ rights often focuses on the West Coast or New England, the Mid-Atlantic region has quietly become one of the most dynamic legal battlegrounds in the country. From pioneering healthcare access to a historic marriage equality vote on the horizon, the laws of New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia tell a fascinating story of progress, defense, and active legal engineering.

Whether you are looking to relocate, working in advocacy, or just keeping tabs on civil rights, here is how these four neighbor states compare when it comes to protecting their LGBTQ+ residents.

1. New Jersey: The Brand-New Legislative Firewall

New Jersey has long held a “Safe Haven” designation from major equality groups, but until recently, its protection for transgender healthcare relied entirely on an executive order from the governor’s office. Because executive orders can be easily undone by a future administration, advocates pushed for years to codify these rules into permanent law.

The Big 2026 Update: On June 30, 2026, the New Jersey Legislature passed A2218/S2260, a comprehensive statutory shield law.
What the Law Does: This statute creates an absolute legal firewall. It legally prohibits New Jersey state courts, law enforcement, and medical boards from cooperating with out-of-state subpoenas, extraditions, or investigations targeting those who receive or provide gender-affirming care in New Jersey.
Everyday Protections: Under the Law Against Discrimination (LAD), New Jersey boasts some of the country’s strongest bans on discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations.

2. Maryland: Setting the Medicaid Gold Standard

Maryland is a powerhouse of structural equality, focused heavily on ensuring that legal protections translate to actual, affordable healthcare access.

The Trans Health Equity Act: Effective in 2024, this landmark law requires Maryland’s Medicaid program to cover comprehensive, medically necessary gender-affirming care. Rather than treating transition-related care as “cosmetic” or optional, Maryland codified it as a fundamental medical right.
Civil Rights & Safe Haven: The state’s “Fairness for All Marylanders Act” has protected gender identity and sexual orientation in housing, work, and public spaces since 2014. Additionally, Governor Wes Moore signed an executive order establishing Maryland as a safe state for out-of-state individuals seeking gender-affirming medical services.

3. Delaware: Protecting Rights Under Executive Defense

Delaware has strong, comprehensive civil rights statutes on the books protecting LGBTQ+ individuals from discrimination in housing, employment, and public spaces.

The Healthcare Shield: While Delaware has legislated shield protections for reproductive care (like abortion), its protections for gender-affirming care have largely been bolstered by the executive branch.
Executive Order 11: In June 2025, the Governor signed Executive Order 11. This directive prevents state agencies from cooperating with out-of-state investigations or extraditions related to lawful gender-affirming medical care provided within Delaware’s borders.
Identification: Updating birth certificates and driver’s licenses to match an individual’s gender identity is streamlined, requiring only a simple supporting statement from a licensed medical or social work professional.

4. Virginia: The Southern Battleground & The 2026 Ballot

Virginia occupies a unique space on this list. In 2020, it made history by passing the Virginia Values Act, becoming the first Southern state to enact comprehensive civil rights protections for LGBTQ+ residents in employment, housing, and public spaces. However, enforcement has faced political friction and rollbacks, particularly regarding school policies.

The 2026 Marriage Amendment: On November 3, 2026, Virginia voters will head to the polls to decide on a major, proactive constitutional referendum: the Repeal Same-Sex Marriage Ban Amendment.
What is at Stake: While same-sex marriage is federally protected under Obergefell v. Hodges, Virginia’s state constitution still contains outdated, unenforceable language banning same-sex unions. This referendum will officially strike that language and enshrine an affirmative, constitutionally protected right to marriage regardless of sex, gender, or race. It is one of the nation’s only proactive pro-LGBTQ+ ballot measures in 2026.

Side-by-Side: The Mid-Atlantic Landscape

State	Non-Discrimination Laws	Transgender Healthcare Shield	State Medicaid Coverage	Notable Highlight
New Jersey	Explicit & Robust (LAD)	Statutory Law (Passed June 2026)	Covered	Completely codified protections to survive shifting administrations.
Maryland	Explicit & Robust	Executive Order	Covered (Trans Health Equity Act)	Exceptional, legally mandated Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming care.
Delaware	Explicit & Robust	Executive Order 11	Covered	Seamless identity document updates via simple self-attestation.
Virginia	Explicit (Virginia Values Act)	None	Partially Covered (highly variable)	Currently voting to enshrine marriage equality in its state constitution.

The Takeaway

The Mid-Atlantic is a vital region for LGBTQ+ rights. While New Jersey has just finalized its legal fortress with a new legislative shield, Maryland leads the way in equitable healthcare funding, Delaware stands tall with deep executive protections, and Virginia remains the ultimate battleground—where the community is actively voting to secure the future of marriage equality at the ballot box.

July 15, 2026 0

Navigating Equality: Top U.S. States with Comprehensive LGBTQ+ and Transgender Legal Protections

In an increasingly fragmented legal landscape, civil rights, non-discrimination protections, and healthcare access for LGBTQ+ and transgender individuals vary significantly across the country. For individuals, families, and professionals seeking to understand where state law provides the most robust safeguards, several states stand out as national leaders.

By evaluating data from the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) State Equality Index and the Movement Advancement Project (MAP), we have highlighted key states—including Connecticut, a national pioneer—that have built comprehensive legal frameworks to protect LGBTQ+ and transgender residents.

Key States Leading LGBTQ+ Legal Protections

Connecticut: A Pioneer in Healthcare & Legal Safety

Connecticut stands out as a historic and statutory leader, consistently earning high policy scores for its proactive stance on civil rights and transgender safety.

The Original Shield Law: In 2022, Connecticut became the first state in the nation to enact a comprehensive “shield law” specifically designed to protect patients, medical providers, and out-of-state visitors receiving or delivering gender-affirming care. The law blocks out-of-state legal subpoenas, prevents extradition, and bars licensing boards from disciplining providers for administering legal medical care.
Data Privacy Protection: Connecticut enacted specialized laws restricting health apps and online entities from collecting, selling, or disclosing consumer data related to gender-affirming care.
Explicit Non-Discrimination: Gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation are fully protected under state civil rights laws spanning employment, housing, credit, and public accommodations.

California

California sets a national benchmark for comprehensive LGBTQ+ protections across every major area of civil law.

Healthcare & Shield Laws: Following Connecticut’s model, California passed strong safe-haven legislation protecting transgender individuals, families, and doctors from out-of-state legal liability related to gender-affirming care.
Non-Discrimination: The Unruh Civil Rights Act and the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) explicitly safeguard gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation in housing, workplace settings, and business transactions.
Identity Documents: The state allows streamlined updates to gender markers on driver’s licenses, birth certificates, and state IDs without requiring surgical confirmation or court orders.

Massachusetts

As the first U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage in 2004, Massachusetts maintains a deeply entrenched system of legal protections.

Broad Public Protections: Anti-discrimination laws explicitly cover public accommodations—such as restaurants, retail stores, and healthcare facilities—alongside housing and employment.
Youth & Family Safeguards: The state enforces a complete ban on conversion therapy for minors and maintains robust anti-bullying and inclusion guidelines across public school districts.
Medicaid & Insurance Requirements: Private insurance and MassHealth (Medicaid) are legally required to cover medically necessary gender-affirming care.

Colorado

Over the last decade, Colorado has transformed into a major sanctuary state for transgender protections in the Mountain West.

The Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Care Shield Act: Enacted to shield out-of-state patients and local practitioners from external civil and criminal investigations or licensing penalties.
Administrative ID Updates: Jude’s Law permits non-binary “X” gender markers and allows transgender individuals to update state documents smoothly without requiring physician affidavits or court decrees.
Anti-Discrimination Enforcement: The Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act (CADA) covers employment, housing, and public spaces, enforced aggressively by the state civil rights division.

New York

With a deep history rooted in the modern LGBTQ+ civil rights movement, New York’s laws reflect comprehensive protections.

GENDA (Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act): Passed in 2019, GENDA formally added gender identity and expression as explicit protected classes across housing, employment, public spaces, and non-sectarian education.
Medical Safeguards: Comprehensive shield laws ensure that healthcare institutions and practitioners face no administrative penalties or extradition requests for delivering legally protected medical services.
Informed Family Laws: New York maintains progressive legislation supporting gestational surrogacy, legal adoption, and parental recognition for LGBTQ+ families.

Illinois

Illinois serves as a critical legal sanctuary in the Midwest, backed by mature statutory protections.

The Illinois Human Rights Act: Enforces complete non-discrimination across real estate transactions, employment, public services, and banking.
Education & Youth Protections: State legislation requires public school curricula to include LGBTQ+ history and imposes strict safety and anti-bullying standards across districts.
Out-of-State Refuge: Illinois statutes shield healthcare providers treating patients traveling from surrounding jurisdictions, making it an essential hub for safe medical access.

The Bottom Line

Whether evaluating states for personal safety, corporate expansion, or legal analysis, these jurisdictions demonstrate what comprehensive protection looks like in practice. By pairing clear non-discrimination statutes with proactive health-privacy and shield laws, states like Connecticut, California, and Colorado offer the most legally secure environments for transgender and LGBTQ+ residents.

July 15, 2026 0

Senegal amends its Constitution to ban same-sex marriage

New Jersey becomes latest blue state to pass health care shield law for trans care & IVF

Read more at LGBTQ Nation.

The New Jersey General Assembly passed new legislation on Tuesday, the last day of Pride Month, that strengthens the protections around gender-affirming health care, reproductive care, including abortion and IVF, and more. The bill now sits on Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s (D) desk awaiting her signature, which it is expected to receive.

The passage is a win for the trans community. The bill passed the same day the Supreme Court dealt a blow to trans rights with its West Virginia v. B.P.J. ruling.

Speaking with the New Jersey Monitor after the vote, Jennifer Williams, a Trenton city council member who is trans, said, “New Jersey is a great, liberty-loving state that will remain a safe haven for those who want to live happy, productive lives while accessing medically necessary and proven medical care.”

The bill’s passage comes after a long battle from LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, including Garden State Equality. In a statement, Lauren Albrecht, the organization’s senior director of advocacy & organizing, said, “By passing this bill, the Legislature has sent the message that bodily autonomy and access to medically necessary, best-practice healthcare are New Jersey values. As other states and the federal government attack reproductive and trans healthcare, we have made it clear that the Garden State will protect both the lifesaving care itself and the people who provide it. Our priorities now will be to ensure Governor Sherrill swiftly signs this legislation and, afterwards, to educate healthcare providers on these new and bolstered protections.”

The new legislation makes no changes to what medical care is or isn’t available in the state, but protects access for all to the services that are already provided.

A major aspect of the bill protects providers and patients from being prosecuted by other states, affirming that those who receive or provide care in New Jersey are solely subject to the state laws of New Jersey and to federal law.

That applies not just to citizens of New Jersey, but to “those who travel to [New Jersey] for health care services,” with the bill noting that all “deserve the ability to safely access health care facilities in this State and the critical reproductive health and gender-affirming care services that they provide.”

This prevents states from prosecuting their residents who have crossed state lines to receive healthcare that is banned in their state but legally protected in New Jersey. The authors of the bill point to the fact that since Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, 21 states have either banned or restricted abortion access. Since then, New Jersey has seen a 30% increase in out-of-state patients.

They also highlighted Alabama’s ruling that embryos are “extrauterine children” and the threat that sort of ruling could pose to IVF fertility treatments, which are often used by same-sex couples to build their families. New Jersey has legally protected the right to access IVF treatment.

While New Jersey is the latest blue state to pass such a bill, theirs includes an aspect that hasn’t been seen in other legislation. The bill includes prohibitions on “interference with reproductive or gender-affirming health care services.” That includes inflicting injury, physically obstructing them, defacing property, recording people accessing care within 100 feet of the entrance to a clinic, or distributing such recordings.

The legislators cite the fact that since Roe was overturned, there has been a 538% increase in obstructions to reproductive health facilities, and in 2023, there were 23 reported violent incidents and threats made to gender-affirming care providers. The legislation states, “This act is intended to ensure that anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ+ persons cannot harm patients or providers.”

Mirroring a proposed shield law in California, the bill also requires the written consent of a patient or their guardian for any of their medical records to be provided to an out-of-state authority. A similar shield law in New York was the reason that patients were informed when NYU Langone Health received a criminal subpoena, insisting that they hand over the medical records for minors who received gender-affirming care at the institution.

July 3, 2026 0

‘Witch-hunt’ in Niger as military regime rounds up LGBTQ+ population

Malaysian government asks public to use derogatory phrase in place of “LGBT”

Read more at LGBTQ Nation.

The government of Malaysia is urging the public to discontinue use of the term “LGBT” to avoid “normalizing” LGBTQ+ people and the broader community.

In its place, the Deputy Minister for Religious Affairs, Marhamah Rosli, says the public should now use the term “budaya songsang,” or “perverted/deviant culture,” to describe all things LGBTQ+.

“The more we utter, write, or state it, the more ‘pop-out’ content related to it will appear,” Marhamah said at a Parliament session in February, referring to social media specifically. “Without realizing it, we are promoting the culture unknowingly.”

This week, the government announced they’re making that change official, Pink News reports.

Replacing “LGBT” with the new, derogatory term will influence online algorithms away from displaying LGBTQ+ content in the country, and therefore prevent the “promotion” of queer culture, Marhamah said.

The move follows a record crackdown on members of the LGBTQ+ community in the Muslim-majority nation in recent years. Malaysian LGBTQ+ advocacy group Justice for Sisters reported that 307 queer people were arrested in the country under both federal and state laws in 2025 alone.

The organization has also documented an increase in public complaints against LGBTQ people, leading to surveillance, raids, and cancellation of events due to safety concerns.

In May, fifty-one men attending a “gay party” at a Kuala Lumpur hotel were detained. Over 200 men were arrested in a raid on a “gay spa” in Kuala Lumpur late last year, including 103 Muslim men who were investigated separately by the nation’s religious courts for violations of Sharia law. In February, Malaysia blocked the use of gay dating apps Grindr and Blued in the country.

And in January, an LGBTQ+ event planned at a retreat site in Hulu Langat, Selangor, faced heavy backlash from locals. The organizer was forced to cancel the gathering amid “rising hostilities,” including alleged death threats, according to Malaysian outlet The Rakyat Post.

That site’s reporting included use of the “budaya songsang” descriptor in place of “LGBT.”

Justice for Sisters condemned the adoption of the “LGBT” alternative.

“The term ‘budaya songsang’ dehumanizes LGBT people, fuels misinformation, and reinforces the dangerous belief that LGBT people should be ‘corrected,’” a statement from the group read.

“It contributes directly to violence, discrimination, and violations of dignity and equality under Articles 5 and 8 of the Federal Constitution.”

Amnesty International Malaysia also weighed in on the discriminatory term.

“We strongly condemn this appalling decision by the government,” said Amnesty campaigner Qistina Johari.

“When public officials label LGBTI people as ‘deviant’, they are not upholding morality — they are legitimizing hate and discrimination against a highly vulnerable group. Words from those in power carry weight and real-world consequences.”

Malaysia ranks low on Equaldex’s country rankings for LGBTQ+ rights, at 151 out of 197 nations.

Under Section 377 of Malaysia’s Penal Code, “Carnal knowledge against the order of nature” is punishable by up to 20 years in prison with whipping. A subsection of the law also criminalizes “gross indecency with another person” with up to two years in prison. The law was extended to women in 1989.

Penalties under Sharia law in most Malaysian states can increase the punishment to include fines, caning, and concurrent or additional imprisonment.

June 29, 2026 0

Gov. signs 3 trans rights bills into law & then marches in Pride parade that afternoon

Read more at LGBTQ Nation.

On Sunday, just hours before he marched in the Chicago Pride Parade, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) signed three trans rights bills into law.

HB 5095 solidifies the process for trans people to correct the gender marker on their IDs to male, female, or X. HB 5492 mandates that insurance companies cover up to a 6-month supply of prescribed hormone therapy, as well as “the necessary supplies for self-administration.” Both laws take effect on January 1, 2027.

HB 4834 updates the Illinois Prescription Monitoring Program (ILPMP) to remove testosterone and prohibit the addition of estrogen, mifepristone, and misoprostol. The law, effective immediately, will prevent the database, which is used to prevent certain drugs from being overprescribed, from being abused to prevent folks from obtaining gender-affirming and reproductive health care.

“Today, I’m proud to sign landmark legislation expanding on my administration’s work to make Illinois a safe, empowering, and inclusive place for the LGBTQ+ community,” Pritzker wrote on social media. “With my signature, we are a few steps closer to a state where all can live their lives without fear of hate.”

Pritzker then posted a video of himself touting the bills as he prepared to march in Chicago’s Pride Parade. “It’s very important to me that we have a state that stands up and protects the people who live here,” he said. “So I’m very happy, very proud, frankly, to live in the state of Illinois. I hope you are, too.”

Pritzker has been fighting for LGBTQ+ rights long before it was popular, as evidenced by a photo of him that often makes the rounds on social media, in which he is marching in the 1993 Pride parade.

As Governor, he has staunchly defended LGBTQ+ rights and has been especially outspoken for trans youth. He told then-Late Show host Stephen Colbert last year that his late mother was a huge activist who took him to protests when she was young. Her life, he said, inspired the work he does.

At a March 2025 Human Rights Campaign dinner, Pritzker vowed to stand up to anti-LGBTQ+ “bullies” and spoke directly to transgender youth to tell them they are not alone.

“And in the midst of this existential fight, this battle that seems to consume everything, well, let’s not take the soul-sucking path of sacrificing the most persecuted for that which we deem to be most popular,” he said.

“I know that there are transgender children right now looking out at this world and wondering if anyone is going to stand up for them and for their simple right to exist. Well, I am. We are. We will.”

In April of last year, he criticized “do-nothing” Democratic politicians who “want to blame our [election] losses on our defense of Black people, of trans kids, of immigrants instead of their own lack of guts and gumption.” He encouraged Democrats to “fight” the current presidential administration “everywhere and all at once,” even endorsing “mass protests, for mobilization, for disruption.” Last summer, he also announced a landmark free hotline for LGBTQ+ people in the state.

In 2023, he signed a landmark bill making Illinois the first state to bar libraries from banning books. “Here in Illinois, we don’t hide from the truth, we embrace it,” he said in a statement. “Young people shouldn’t be kept from learning about the realities of our world; I want them to become critical thinkers, exposed to ideas that they disagree with, proud of what our nation has overcome, and thoughtful about what comes next.”

June 29, 2026 0