By Sesali B. • @BadFatBlackGirl • 11 years ago

Illinois celebrates marriage equality

 

Illinoians – this Washington, DC transplant included – are long at last able to celebrate the passage of a marriage equality law! Last night lawmakers approved the bill after (finally) getting enough House votes to move the bill through the Senate. Governor Pat Quinn intends to sign the bill into law to take effect June 1, 2014. This will make Illinois is the 15th state to allow same -sex marriages. I’m so jealous that I’m not home to celebrate with all of my queer Northside folks. 

But at least there’s twitter:

And while this law represents a great milestone in the fight for queer rights and justice, there is still work to be done. According to UCAN, the organization that launched a LGBTQ Host Home program, 20-40% of homeless youth (under 21) in Illinois identify as LGBTQ. These young people need all of the resources they can get. Please consider donating to UCAN or the Broadway Youth Center, which provides free/low cost health services and has been under attack by residents of the bougie Lakeview neighborhood.

Avatar Image Sesali is a proud Illinoisan! 

Feministing's resident "sexpert", Sesali is a published writer and professional shit talker. She is a queer Black girl, fat girl, and trainer. She was the former Training Director at the United States Student Association and later a member of the Youth Organizing team at Planned Parenthood Federation of America. She received her bachelors in Women's and Gender Studies from Depaul University in 2012 and is currently pursuing a master's in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality studies at Georgia State University in Atlanta. A self identified "trap" feminist, and trained with a reproductive justice background, her interests include the intersections of feminism and: pop culture, youth culture, social media, hip hop, girlhood, sexuality, race, gender, and Beyonce. Sesali joined the team in 2010 as one of the winners of our So You Think You Can Blog contest.

is Feministing's resident sexpert and cynic.

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