In America, attorneys and judges are governed by codes called "Rules of Professional Conduct." Illinois is one of the only states in America whose rules permit judges and attorneys to discriminate on the basis of gender identity and expression, which allows judges and attorneys to deadname, misgender, harass, and ridicule transgender and non-binary attorneys and litigants during court proceedings, or to rule on cases based on the gender identity or expression of a litigant or attorney.

Most states and the American Bar Association have already prohibited this type of discrimination, but the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission ("ARDC"), which regulates lawyers and judges in Illinois, refuses to change the rules to protect transgender and gender nonconforming litigants and attorneys in Illinois. As a result, transgender and gender nonconforming people in Illinois are not guaranteed, and often do not receive, fair and equitable treatment in Illinois courts.

It's time for that to change. Tell the ARDC and Illinois Supreme Court that Illinois should join states like California, Pennsylvania, Washington, Maryland, Oregon, New York, Massachusetts, Florida, Oklahoma, and the District of Columbia, and ban discrimination on the basis of gender identity and expression in the Illinois legal system.