LGBTQ+ Preparedness

As this current presidential administration begins to take shape, day by day we are seeing new attacks on our communities. While our team has developed resources for our undocumented neighbors on our Know Your Rights Resources Page we will be using this space to inform and update you all on the anti-LGBTQ+ policies that are being introduced and pushed by this administration. We will be detailing what executive orders have been signed and how they impact the rights of LGBTQ+ people, as well as providing legal resources and helpful guides to keep yourselves prepared for what may come.

We have already seen that in our efforts to combat unfair policies and practices, being informed and prepared are some of the best tools in our belt. We will continuously keep this page updated as new information becomes available. If you have any information or resources you would like to share with us and your neighbors please email us at i nfo@repcassidy.com.

Just Security created a Litigation Tracker, where you can track legal challenges against the Trump Administration.

As travel increases for the Summer, Lambda Legal has prepared a page with some Document and Travel Tips for Transgender, Nonbinary, Gender-Nonconforming, and Intersex Individuals.

Legislative Updates Under the Trump Administration

News Updates

Update 9/9/2025 -

The U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland ordered the U.S. Department of State to process the passport applications of six transgender U.S. citizens with accurate sex markers, reflecting their gender identity, blocking enforcement of the Trump administration's discriminatory passport policy.

Update 8/25/25 -

On Monday, August 25th, Governor J.B. Pritzker's first of its kind LGBTQ+ Legal Hotline came online. The legal advice line serves both English and Spanish speakers, providing support for callers seeking advice on accessing health care, identifying documents, housing, safety concerns and accessing government benefits, such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Advocates fielding calls will offer advice and refer callers to the line’s legal partners.

Illinois Pride Connect can be reached at 855-805-9200 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

To learn more, click here.

Update 8/14/25-

A federal court ruled in favor of LAMBDA Legal, granting a preliminary injunction in their case to stop the Trump administration from stripping federal funding from nonprofits serving the LGBTQ+ community and people living with HIV.

This is a vital early victory!

What to Know About Federal 988 Suicide Hotline Funding

*Update 7/17/25-

On June 5, 2025, the Department of Health and Human Services released the proposed budget for the 2026 fiscal year, which included defunding the LGBTQ+ option on the 988 suicide hotline.

This proposed budget has since gone into effect. Despite federal funding cuts, the LGBTQ+ suicide prevention hotline remains operational in Illinois.

Update Regarding Gender-Affirming Care Under "Big Beautiful Bill" Act (H.R. 1) and Trump Administration

*Update 7/5/25-

Does the Big Beautiful Bill prevent Medicaid from covering gender-affirming care?

In earlier drafts, the "Big Beautiful Bill" would’ve prevented Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) from covering gender-affirming healthcare services as well as removing gender-affirming care as a benefit under the Affordable Care Act. It also would’ve defined sex based on narrow biological terms. However, none of these provisions were in the final bill that passed through the senate.

While the version of H.R. 1 that passed makes no mention of gender-affirming care, it will still affect the accessibility of that care. Why? Millions across the US depend on Medicaid, including transgender people who use the program to cover gender-affirming care. Under H.R. 1, over 10 million Americans will likely lose Medicaid coverage.

Executive Order Regarding Gender and Its Implication on Passports and Trans Women in Prison*(Update)

*Update 6/17/25-

Gender marker ruling (Orr v. Trump)

A federal judge has ruled that a passport with a sex designation that aligns with an individual’s gender identity, including the marker “X” can be issued to anyone trying to

Obtain a new passport,
Change the sex designation or update their name on their current passport
Replace a lost, stolen, or damaged passport, or
Renew their passport within one year of its expiration.

The "X" marker is typically used by individuals who identify as non-binary or gender-nonconforming as an alternative to M or F markers. Trans individuals have the right to change their gender marker to the gender that matches their identity.

*Update 4/25/25- Lambda Legal has filed a lawsuit on behalf of seven transgender U.S. citizens challenging the Trump administration’s policy denying them U.S. passports with accurate sex markers.

Section 4 (a) of this Executive Order required that Trans Women would need to be transferred to men's prisons, and would no longer be eligible for gender-affirming care.

* Update 2/4/25- A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from moving transgender women prisoners into men’s facilities or taking away their medical care.

On January 20, 2025, the President signed an executive order stating that the U.S. “will only recognize two sexes, male and female.” Following in step with the sentiment of this order, on January 24, 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio then directed the Department of State to freeze passport applications that have selected the “X” gender identifier. However, as of now, this directive does not invalidate current passports and is not retroactive. It does state that if passports with an “X” gender marker need to be renewed, “they must reflect the person’s sex assigned at birth.”

Please see the following links for more information about:

*Updated 2/18- If you are transgender, gender-nonconforming or nonbinary (TGNCNB) and dealing with the impact of the Trump administration’s recent gender identity executive order on your identity documents Lambda Legal has updated their Things to Know Under Trump Checklist.

Lambda Legal held this educational session to help explain the current landscape of the federal government’s new passport and federal identity document policy, they discuss commonly asked questions, and provide information on recent developments.

For any questions you can also reach out to the Lambda Legal Help Desk.

Executive Order Regarding the Ban on Gender Affirming Care for Trans Youth

*Update 6/18/25- Court Case U.S. v. Skrmetti Affirming Tennessee's Ban on Gender-Affirming Care for Minors

In June, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of a Tennessee ban on gender-affirming care for minors. This ban does not make gender-affirming care for minors illegal in other states, unless those states already have a ban. It does, however, pave the way for other states to introduce bans.

Skrmetti also does not say anything regarding gender-affirming care for adults.

*Update 2/14/25- Executive Order Banning Gender Affirming Care for Trans Youth

A lawsuit was filed on February 4th by Lambda Legal and others in response to the executive order targeting healthcare for transgender youth. On February 13th Maryland judge Brendan A Hurson ruled in PFLAG, INC., ET AL., v. DONALD J. TRUMP ET AL. to block the executive order. The nationwide restraining order prohibits federal agencies from conditioning or withholding federal funding based on the fact that a healthcare entity or health professional provides gender-affirming medical care to a patient under nineteen. “Stopping care in the middle of receiving it, any care, really, casts doubt on whether in fact the goals are to protect the recipients of the care,” said Hurson.

Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, senior counsel and health care Strategist for Lambda Legal said, “As today’s decision makes clear, the president does not have the power to unilaterally condition federal funding by requiring discrimination. To the contrary, our laws and Constitution forbid it. We hope that with today’s decision, healthcare entities can go back to caring for their patients instead of abandoning them over fears of losing admittedly critical federal funding.”

On January 28, 2025, the President signed an executive order with the goal of restricting gender-affirming care for anyone under the age of 19. It is very broad and we are still researching to understand the complete implications of this.

Executive Order Regarding the Trans Military Ban

Update May 6th 2025* From Lambda Legal: The Supreme Court has lifted the preliminary injunction we secured in our case, Shilling v. Trump, that blocked the President's ban on military service by patriotic transgender Americans.

As a result, the administration’s policy will take immediate effect while our legal challenge moves forward.

This is not the end, however. This is not a final ruling – we are continuing to fight this discriminatory ban on transgender service members in court.

Update March 27th, 2025* From Lambda Legal:

A federal district court today issued a nationwide preliminary injunction immediately blocking enforcement of the Trump administration’s executive order banning transgender people from enlisting or continuing to serve in the United States Armed Forces. This is the third federal judge to block the military ban in the last week, following a preliminary injunction issued by the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. last week and temporary restraining order issued by the federal district court in New Jersey on Monday. The nationwide injunction applies to not only the lawsuit’s plaintiffs but also any similarly situated individual including servicemembers out of the country.

Also on January 28, 2025, the President signed an executive order banning transgender people from serving in the military. A lawsuit has been filed against the Trump Administration on behalf of transgender service members by the Human Rights Campaign and Lambda Legal in order to block this ban. We will keep you updated as we hear more developments on this case. For more information on the lawsuit, you can visit here.

Executive Order Regarding Restricting School Curriculum

On January 29, 2025, the President signed an executive order that aims to cut federal funding to schools that teach certain topics related to race, sex, gender, and politics. This targets the LGBTQ+ community, specifically trans youth, as it directs the attorney general to work with state and local authorities to take action against those working in schools who allow social transitioning–that is, when a transgender person begins "using a different name, different pronouns, dressing differently, starts or stops wearing makeup or jewelry," and more–according to GLAAD. This statement from California Attorney General Bonta is particularly encouraging.

Update* 3/3/25:
Bill to Ban Trans Athletes Fails in the Senate

In January, House Republicans passed HR 28, which is attempting to amend the law to require that “sex shall be recognized based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth,” for the purpose of determining compliance with Title IX in athletics. The House vote was 218 to 206 with two Democrats voting in favor and one Democrat voting “present.”

The bill came up in the senate this week, and could not get the 60 votes needed to advance a bill subject to a filibuster, as senators stuck to party lines in a 51-45 vote.

Trans Suicide Hotline by Trans Lifeline
877 565 8860

Trans Lifeline’s Hotline is a peer support phone service run by trans people for our trans and questioning peers. Please call if you need someone trans to talk to, even if you’re not in a crisis or if you’re not sure you’re trans.

Rep. Cassidy’s Remarks on Anti-Trans Executive Orders from the House Floor
(January 28, 2025)

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul Reaffirms Commitment to Protecting Access to Gender-Affirming Care

On February 5, 2025, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul released a statement that he had joined a coalition of 14 attorneys general in reaffirming their commitment to protecting access to gender-affirming care. This comes in response to the President’s recent string of executive orders attacking trans rights, particularly targeting access to gender-affirming care for trans youth.

To read Attorney General Raoul’s full statement, click on the image above

House Dobbs Working Group Members Stand with Attorney General’s Commitment to the LGBTQ+ Community and Gender Affirming Care

The Illinois House Dobbs Working Group, which Representative Cassidy chairs, released a statement in support of Attorney General Raoul and his commitment to fighting for the LGBTQ+ community and gender-affirming care.

To read the full press release, click on the image above.

"Getting Prepared" List from Equality Illinois

Equality Illinois has provided a list of things people in the LGBTQ+ community should consider getting prepared going into the current administration. Please note that this is not legal advice. For more information regarding your own given circumstance, you should consult an attorney. We will have more attorney resources listed below.

Items to Consider Getting Prepared

Update legal documents
Verify that children’s birth certificates are up to date with both parents’ names
Finalize marriages
Assign Powers of Attorney (prepare and finalize health care in particular for spouses and kids)
Update wills and trusts
Complete name changes
Update identification documents
Ensure financial and other documents are in order, named beneficiaries, and reflect your legal name and gender
Consult your medical provider
- Updated your prescriptions
- Ask your medical provider about a plan if there are restrictions in obtaining your meds in the new administration
- Review authorizations and permissions
Review data privacy and security settings in your social media apps
- Review this especially in your Healthcare apps (period tracker apps as well)
Create a folder that includes copies of these basic documents that is easily accessible and that trusted people can access

Advocates For Trans Equality Webinar:
Trans Rights vs. Trump: How A4TE is Fighting Back

Advocates for Trans Equality’s Trans Legal Survival Guide

As Trans people face more political and legal attacks, Advocates for Trans Equality has created a guide with a list of steps to reduce vulnerability for trans people. Click on the image above to open a PDF link to this guide.

Some Helpful Information from the Human Rights Campaign

Facing the Future Together: FAQs, Guidance, and Resources

Supporting Transgender, Non-binary, and Gender-Expansive Children

Resources and Attorneys

Advocates for Trans Equality can assist in connecting you with a network of attorneys who assist with providing name and gender change services and more.
Brave Space Alliance is an LGBTQ+ focused space that offers many services including free and onsite HIV testing, medical referrals for a variety of care (including counseling, HIV prevention and treatment, and reproductive health) behavioral health, housing services, workforce development, financial literacy workshops, a food pantry and more.
Center on Halsted offers a variety of services focused on advancing the LGBTQ+ community including behavior health, HIV/STI testing and prevention services, youth programming, education and employment programming, and more.
The Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago is one of the largest and most well-respected LGBTQ+ bar organizations in the country. Its members include lawyers, judges, elected officials, law students, and other legal professionals. LAGBAC's website offers several ways to search for an attorney through a searchable directory of attorneys in their organization.
You can file a claim with the Illinois Department of Human Rights if you have been mistreated. You can find more information at their website here.
The Trevor Project's mission is to end suicide among LGBTQ+ Youth. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, they are a great resource.
The Illinois Human Rights Commission website where you can find information on the Illinois Human Rights Act.
The Ally Education Collective’s LGBTQ+ Ally Education page is a helpful resource for allies of trans folks to learn more about gender-affirming care and the experiences of trans folks from a mother of a transgender child.
For more resources, you can also check out our Constituent Service Guide.

Equality Illinois LGBTQ+ Resource Guide

Equality Illinois has compiled a list of resources for LGBTQ+ people of legal services, youth services, health resources, and crisis hotlines all throughout the state of Illinois. For more information as well as to access a printable copy of this list click the picture below.