A Human Rights Campaign ( HRC ) report says that a patchwork of state and local non-discrimination laws continues to leave millions of LGBT peopleincluding those who are legally marriedwithout reliable protections from discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation.
HRC's 2015 State Equality Index ( issued in partnership with the Equality Federation ) also reveals that, in many states, opponents of equality are stepping up efforts to sanction discrimination against LGBT people by proposing state-level laws that would undermine existing protections, erode marital rights of legally joined same-sex couples, target transgender people, and limit the ability of cities and towns to pass their own inclusive laws.
Illinois was tagged with the rating "Working Toward Innovative Equality." ( This compares to states like Indiana and Louisiana, which were given the label "High Priority to Achieve Basic Equality." ) Illinois' scorecard lists non-discrimination laws regarding sexual orientation and gender identity in areas such as public accommodations, education and creditand protective parenting measures regarding adoption and surrogacy, among other issues.
However, the state is lacking in several areas, including non-discrimination in jury selection, gender-marker change on birth certificates and LGBT-inclusive sex-education laws.
The index also lists what HRC considers to be bad measures; Illinois does not have most that are listed, with the exception of a state RFRA ( Religious Freedom Restoration Act ).
"Even with marriage equality now the law of the land, the battle for LGBT rights at the state level continues to be a story of both successes and setbacks," said HRC President Chad Griffin in a statement. "Though a number of states are expanding access to full equality for LGBT people and their families, a majority of states are still struggling to reach even a basic level of equality for LGBT people."
The index is at www.hrc.org/campaigns/state-equality-index .