LGBTQIA+ organizing program
Join Planned Parenthood Illinois Action’s LGBTQIA+ focused organizing and advocacy program! This program is for both LGBTQIA+ identified community members and allies alike to work together on strategies, actions, and concrete ways that we can advance LGBTQIA+ rights and expand access to gender affirming, LGBTQIA+ inclusive care across the state.
Who we are?
At Planned Parenthood of Illinois, we are committed to providing reproductive and sexual healthcare to people of all genders, bodies, and identities. We are one of the largest providers of gender-affirming care in the state, in addition to providing general reproductive and sexual wellness services.
What we do?
Our LGBTQIA+ organizing program is dedicated to uplifting the intersections between reproductive rights and LGBTQIA+ rights, and centering the voices of those who are most affected by barriers to accessing competent care in our state, such as those who live in rural areas, and in care/resource deserts.
Our Goals
- To build a strong, community centered coalition of LGBTQIA+ identified people and LGBTQIA+ allies across Illinois to work together in pursuit of expanding LGBTQIA+ rights, protections, and healthcare access. We strive to ensure that advocates for Planned Parenthood and reproductive/sexual wellness in Illinois are as passionate about protecting gender affirming and LGBTQIA+ competent health care access as they are about protecting access to abortion care!
- To increase the visibility of Planned Parenthood of Illinois’ LGBTQIA+ focused healthcare services, including but not limited to, Gender affirming hormone therapy, preventative care such as PrEP and DoxyPEP, gender affirming care navigation services, annual exams + preventative screenings and more!
- To advocate for and support pro-LGBTQIA+ policies, legislation, and evaluate how various proposed legislation at the state and local level could affect our LGBTIQA+ identified patients and community members at large across Illinois
- To uplift and support LGBTQIA+ identified political candidates, as well as candidates that are outspoken allies to the LGBTQIA+ community, running for local and state level offices in Illinois. We strive to support candidates whose values, and key platform issues align with our own values and mission
- Co-goal to the above: To hold our elected officials and leaders, especially those that identify themselves as allies to the LGBTQIA+ community, accountable for how their votes and their policies affect LGBTQIA+ people in their districts and across Illinois.
5. To work in coalition with other LGBTQIA+ focused and led groups, organizations, and leaders to create, co-host, and be present in LGBTQIA+ centered spaces that center the voices, expertise, and lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ Illinoisians.
Pictures from actions and events PPIGay has done!
Renee Mishler, LGBTQIA+ Organizing Program member based in Bloomington, and Jess Sturges of PPIL pose in front of the local Bloomington radio station, WGLT’s, logo after being co-interviewed about the experiences of transgender people in Central IL and the effects of the Skrmetti vs U.S. SCOTUS decision in June 2025.
Transgender Day of Visibility Storytelling Speakout 2025
One of our TDOV storytelling speakout 2025 storytellers is pictured telling a story in front of a large drop-down screen showing ASL interpreters on Zoom behind him. This was at the Bloomington Public library.
TDOV 2024
The first Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) storytelling speakout celebration in 2024 held in Champaign Urbana, featuring our 6 storytellers from across central IL!
