Gov. JB Pritzker pledges to increase sex change procedures in Illinois following Trump's re-election.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has pledged to maintain his state's openness to transgender treatment, particularly for minors, despite it becoming a contentious issue during the presidential election. The billionaire governor, whose family is deeply involved in the transgender movement, posted a tweet to mark Transgender Awareness Week, assuring that Illinois has enshrined protections for gender-affirming care and will always be a home for the transgender community. Meanwhile, Ohio's Senate has passed a bill that would restrict transgender student access to school bathrooms, with critics arguing that it fosters a climate that encourages some children to seek so-called "gender-affirming care."

Jennifer Pritzker, a cousin of Pritzker and a former lieutenant colonel in the United States Army National Guard, is an outspoken proponent of transgender treatment. She is also the founder of the Chicago-based Tawani Foundation, which supports organizations that focus on gender and human sexuality. The Pritzker family fortune was made in the hotel industry, specifically in Hyatt Hotels.

Jennifer wrote on the Tawani Foundation's website that she continues her family's tradition of using personal philanthropy to benefit the public by making grants that support organizations in achieving and expanding their missions.

The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHR) issued guidance in December 2021 to provide non-discrimination protections for "transgender, nonbinary and gender nonconforming students" under the Illinois Human Rights Act of 1979. Pritzker stated that ensuring every Illinois student has access to a safe, validating learning environment where they can be their true self is a top priority for his administration. The guidance from the Illinois Department of Human Rights will provide students, caregivers, and educators another tool to ensure classrooms are welcoming, affirming, and inclusive for all students.

In Illinois, biological males can participate in school or club sports alongside females under Pritzker's leadership. Moreover, the IDHR states that students should not be restricted from using restrooms, locker rooms, and changing rooms based on their physical anatomy or chromosomal sex. Instead, they should be allowed to access facilities that align with their gender-related identity without needing to provide documentation or other proof of gender.

Pritzker's policy states that "discomfort or privacy concerns of other students, teachers, or parents cannot be used as reasons to deny or limit the full and equal use of facilities based on a student's gender-related identity."

The 2024 presidential election's nationwide GOP mandate is giving Democrats who publicly supported "gender-affirming" policies for minors pause. In a February 2023 video, President-elect Trump said, "I will then ask Congress to permanently stop federal taxpayer dollars from being used to promote or pay for these procedures and pass a law prohibiting child sexual mutilation in all 50 states." In Illinois, Medicaid can cover gender transition surgeries and drugs for those who are 21 years or older under Gov. Pritzker. Pritzker's office did not immediately respond to Planet Chronicle Digital's request for comment.