Illinois Governor JB Pritzker affirmed his commitment to keeping his state open to transgender treatment, especially for minors, amid partisan tensions during the recent presidential election.
As a billionaire governor with a family deeply involved in the transgender movement, Pritzker took to Twitter during Transgender Awareness Week to show his support. He stated, “This Transgender Awareness Week, I want you to know that I see you and have your back as governor. Illinois has enshrined protections for gender-affirming care to meet this moment â and because of that, you will have a home here always.”
Illinois, along with states like Minnesota and California, has been criticized for creating an environment that encourages children to seek “gender-affirming care.”
Pritzker’s cousin, Jennifer, who was born male but now identifies as female, is a strong advocate for transgender treatment. Jennifer, a former lieutenant colonel in the United States Army National Guard and a father of three, leads the Chicago-based Tawani Foundation, which supports organizations focused on gender and human sexuality.
Under Pritzker’s guidance, Illinois has implemented progressive policies regarding minors who identify as a different gender, including non-discrimination protections for transgender students under the Illinois Human Rights Act of 1979.
Additionally, Pritzker’s policy allows biological males to compete in female sports and ensures access to facilities based on gender identity rather than physical anatomy or chromosomal sex.
The GOP’s mandate in the 2024 presidential election has caused some Democrats who support “gender-affirming” policies to rethink their stance. President-elect Trump has vowed to stop federal funding for such procedures and prohibit child sexual mutilation nationwide.
In Illinois, Medicaid can cover gender transition surgeries and drugs for individuals 21 years or older under Governor Pritzker’s administration.
Pritzker’s office did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
