Equality Illinois was founded in 1992 to secure, protect and defend the basic civil rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Illinoisans. Founders of the Chicago-based organization are activists Rick Garcia, Arthur Johnston and the late Jon Henri Damski and Lana Hostetler (all of whom played key roles in the 1988 passage of Chicago's Human Rights Ordinance).
Soon after its formation, Equality Illinois led the movement to pass a statewide nondiscrimination bill in the Illinois House of Representatives. During the next decade, we registered thousands of pro-gay Illinoisans, lobbied legislators to support the nondiscrimination bill and developed a strong network of gay rights supporters throughout the state.
In January 2005, Equality Illinois generated more than ten thousand calls and letters to members of the Illinois General Assembly in support of the gay rights bill. That effort culminated in a benchmark victory when the Illinois Senate and House passed the nondiscrimination bill (SB3186), which Governor Blagojevich signed into law on January 21, 2005. Illinois now is among only fourteen states that prohibit discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations based on sexual orientation.
Over the years, Equality Illinois has worked with local communities throughout the state to pass local nondiscrimination ordinances in Cook County and cities such as Springfield, Decatur, Bloomington, Normal and Peoria. Equality Illinois has also assisted corporations in developing nondiscrimination policies and in establishing domestic partnership benefits for their employees.
