Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-12-13
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

Guest column: Do you know your fair housing rights?
by William Kingston
2016-04-27

This article shared 1928 times since Wed Apr 27, 2016
facebook twitter google +1 reddit email


I am a student working at the John Marshall Law School Fair Housing Clinic hoping to spread awareness about LGBTQ fair housing rights.

With the recent slew of anti-transgender laws being passed, this seems to be a relevant discussion of what the federal, state, and local laws do to protect the LGBTQ community in housing. The main question being, what are my rights, if any?

Federal Protections

Fair housing laws seek to ensure that everyone has the right to buy, sell, and rent housing without discrimination. But, one must be discriminated against on the basis of being part of a protected class to enforce said laws.

While race, color, religion and national origin have long been protected classes that have experienced discrimination and have needed protection, more than ever, we are now seeing cases of housing discrimination against LGBTQ persons. Generally, LGBTQ persons are categorized into the protected classes of sexual orientation or gender identity making the discrimination illegal. However, the Federal Fair Housing and Amendments Act does not specifically recognize sexual orientation or gender identity as protected classes.

Federal protections that do exist are, for example, if a person is denied housing because they are transgender, then it may be discrimination toward a protected class, sex not sexual orientation. However, these federal protections are highly situational and do not provide adequate protection. The federal laws should be changed to include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes.

The Federal Fair Housing and Amendments Act started with only four protected classes and now contains seven. Change, albeit slowly, is possible. Even now members of Congress are working to pass a comprehensive LGBTQ anti-discrimination piece of legislation entitled the Equality Act which is sponsored by more than 60 large companies.

State Protections

In January of 2005, the Illinois legislature worked to include "sexual orientation" as a protected class in the Illinois Human Rights Act. Sexual orientation is described in the Illinois Human Rights Act as the actual or perceived state of bisexuality, homosexuality, or heterosexuality and includes in the definition discrimination based on "gender-related identity." When it comes to state protections in instances of fair housing discrimination, Illinois is helping lead the way in providing rules which can be used to further protect the LGBTQ community. Additionally, the act provides a civil penalty for up to $10,000 for a first offense. However, only a small percentage of discrimination cases reported to the state are due to sexual orientation, likely because people do not know the laws or have decided not to report the discrimination—or they may not think they can prove bias.

Local Protections

Finally, both Cook County and the City of Chicago have recognized both sexual orientation and gender identity as separate protected classes. Sexual orientation is described in roughly the same way as provided in the Illinois Human Rights Act, while gender identity "means the actual or perceived appearance, expression, identity or behavior, of a person as being male or female, whether or not that appearance, expression, identity or behavior is different from that traditionally associated with the person's designated sex at birth."

Chicago's statute goes further than all of the others allowing for damages of up to $1,000 for each violation. This is a highly tenant-friendly statute and provides serious protection for the LGBTQ community in Chicago.

Despite the fact that people have these statutes and acts to help them, they are highly under-utilized. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has stated that only about 1% of housing discrimination cases are ever reported. This means that not enough people know about nor are standing up for their rights.

Our rights as human beings and tenants in Chicago and Illinois are only available if we choose to assert them. Right now, people are being turned aside without repercussion and people must work together to ensure this does not continue unopposed. Know that you are not alone and that these rights were created specifically for the LGBTQ community. Exercise your rights and stand up.

If you feel you have experienced housing discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, contact the John Marshall Law School or your local housing authority with any questions you have regarding your rights.

Kingston is a 29-year-old law student attending John Marshall Law School in Chicago. He is working at the John Marshall Fair Housing Clinic and also working at a class-action law firm, McGuire Law, focusing on Plaintiff consumer protection. He graduated from undergrad at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada in 2008.


This article shared 1928 times since Wed Apr 27, 2016
facebook twitter google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

VIEWS Mike Johnson: The smiling face of Christian tyranny 2024-02-14
- Mike Johnson wants to rewrite the constitution to make the United States a Christian nation. James Michael Johnson, Republican from Louisiana's Fourth District, is the 56th speaker of the United States House of Representatives. He was ...


Gay News

VIEWS Parents, not legislators, should be making decisions about medical options for children 2024-02-06
By Jeffery M. Leving - No matter the medical issue, when it comes to kids, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said something last December that every lawmaker in the country should realize when it comes to medical decisions for children. "Were House ...


Gay News

SHOWBIZ Sundance items, Green Day, 'Wednesday,' Queerties, 'The Wiz' 2024-01-26
- At the Sundance Film Festival, Jodie Foster told Variety that the $1.4-billion success of Barbie helps confirm that Hollywood no longer views women directors as too much of a risk. She said, "With a big success ...


Gay News

VIEWS Is the Pope Catholic? Francis faces opposition in steps toward LGBTQ+ inclusivity 2024-01-02
- The recent change in Vatican policy allowing priests to bless same-gender couples has provoked an unprecedented backlash against Pope Francis and his openness to LGBTQ+ people—a backlash that some fear might devolve into a schism in ...


Gay News

Bring Chicago Home: Guess who's saying no again 2023-12-04
Commentary by Bob Palmer and Mark Swartz - Chicago is ushering in an era of change with a new progressive mayor with a vision to invest in communities long ignored and a significant increase in like-minded city council members. We are excited to see ...


Gay News

Pope Francis's community of transwomen 2023-11-28
- It's a rare opportunity to meet the pope. It's even rarer if you're a transgender Catholic. However, on Nov. 19, in Torvaianica, Italy, a community of transwomen, many of them sex workers, were welcomed and seated ...


Gay News

Banning the Banning of Books: Illinois and California lead the way 2023-10-26
- In June, at the Harold Washington Library in Chicago, Governor JB Pritzker signed legislation banning book bans in Illinois public libraries. This legislation, initiated by Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, passed the Illinois House and ...


Gay News

OPINION Renewing state's Invest in Kids program is investing in anti-LGBTQ+ hate 2023-10-23
- In February 2020, Bishop Thomas Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield warned transgender students in the Diocese's educational system that they "may be expelled from the school" if they live their lives authentically. Lansing Christian School ...


Gay News

Gilbert Baker Foundation reacts to death of shop owner who flew the rainbow flag 2023-08-29
--From a press release - In response to the murder of Laura Ann Carleton over flying the Rainbow flag in her shop in California, the Gilbert Baker Foundation released the statement below. Facebook refused to post the statement as it did not "...meet their standards." ...


Gay News

VIEWPOINT U.S. higher education under siege; freedom of inquiry and speech at risk 2023-07-03
- The Covid pandemic threw a harsh spotlight on higher education in America, exposing forces eating away at the foundations of college and university learning, calling into question the traditional purposes of such education in our post-modern, ...


Gay News

Guest essay by Florida mom Nicole Pejovich: What's Happening to Florida's Public Schools? 2023-06-19
Related video below - A queer Florida parent answers questions about recent laws, how Floridians are coping, and how you can help Books pulled from school library shelves by the dozens. All evidence of inclusivity stripped from classrooms. The politically ...


Gay News

VIEWPOINT For divorced parents, transgender children's health can present tricky dilemmas 2023-06-12
- Over the last few months, issues impacting individuals who identify as transgender and non-binary are getting a lot of attention in the media and among some politicians. Sadly, because it's become a political issue; a lot ...


Gay News

VIEWPOINT War in the 21st Century: mercenaries, private military companies, private armies 2023-05-20
- In 2022, $407 billion of the Pentagon budget—representing half of that year's funding —were obligated to private contractors, of which a significant number were Private Military Companies (PMCs) involved in ...


Gay News

VIEWPOINT Telling the world about my mental health disorders 2023-05-04
- Over the years, coming out as a lesbian hasn't been that hard for me—because I was always too busy hiding something else. Confessing queerness can be a breeze compared to revealing mental illness. But I decline ...


Gay News

VIEWPOINT German bishops endorse blessings of same-sex couples: Ancient rituals retturn 2023-03-31
- This March, at a national meeting of leaders of the German Catholic Church (referred to as a synod), a document titled Blessing Ceremonies for Couples who Love Each Other" received overwhelming support: 176 votes in favor, ...


 


Copyright © 2024 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.

All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.