Transgender rights rally and march planned for Saturday in Boystown
Sat. February 25, 2017 10:40 AM by GoPride.com News Staff
Chicago, IL -
A rally is planned for Saturday in Boystown to protest the Trump administration action revoking the federal guidance which protected the equal treatment of transgender youth in public schools.
The Stand Up for Transgender Rights Rally will take place at the corner of Roscoe and Halsted (in the parking lot of the 7-11) at noon. Speeches will be followed by a 1 p.m. march down North Halsted.
On Wednesday, the Trump administration revoked Obama-era federal protections for transgender students that instructed public schools to allow them to use bathrooms and locker rooms matching their gender identities.
"The new federal policy sends the harmful and mean-spirited message to transgender students that they are not respected and valued in their schools, the very spaces where they should be safe and affirmed," said said Brian C. Johnson, CEO of Equality Illinois. "School should be a place for learning and growing, not fear and being ostracized."
Johnson noted that Illinois protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) people include the Human Rights Act against discrimination in public accommodations, employment, and housing, the anti-bullying statute, and the ban on conversion therapy.
"Illinois schools have a legal and a moral duty to support all students, including transgender students," Johnson added.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) plans to keep in place the transgender policies they had previously adopted before the guidelines came down from the Obama administration. CPS allows transgender students to use the restrooms and locker rooms of their gender identity.
The Stand Up for Transgender Rights Rally will take place at the corner of Roscoe and Halsted (in the parking lot of the 7-11) at noon. Speeches will be followed by a 1 p.m. march down North Halsted.
On Wednesday, the Trump administration revoked Obama-era federal protections for transgender students that instructed public schools to allow them to use bathrooms and locker rooms matching their gender identities.
"The new federal policy sends the harmful and mean-spirited message to transgender students that they are not respected and valued in their schools, the very spaces where they should be safe and affirmed," said said Brian C. Johnson, CEO of Equality Illinois. "School should be a place for learning and growing, not fear and being ostracized."
Johnson noted that Illinois protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) people include the Human Rights Act against discrimination in public accommodations, employment, and housing, the anti-bullying statute, and the ban on conversion therapy.
"Illinois schools have a legal and a moral duty to support all students, including transgender students," Johnson added.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) plans to keep in place the transgender policies they had previously adopted before the guidelines came down from the Obama administration. CPS allows transgender students to use the restrooms and locker rooms of their gender identity.