On Friday, Illinois' legislative session will come to an end.
As of Thursday morning, the marriage equality bill passed by the state Senate in February has yet to be taken up by the full House.
Famous Illinoisans from Preisident Obama to Senator (and Republican) Mark Kirk, to sports legends Richard Dent and Ernie Banks have stated their support for marriage equality, and advocates for the freedom to marry say they do have the votes they need to pass the measure in the House. Now they just need the opportunity.
Advocates in Illinois have been working tirelessly since 2011 when the state's Civil Unions law went into effect to get the state to take that last step and grant all of the its couples the freedom to marry.
GLAAD has been calling on the Illinois media to hold anti-gay voices accountable for their hateful statements, and many in the media have responded by doing just that - giving residents a clear picture of exactly where opposition to marriage equality comes from. (Polls show less than a third of Illinois voters oppose marriage.) GLAAD has also lifted the voices of several Illinois spokespeople, including leaders from the state's faith community who have pushed back against the false notion that all people of faith oppose equality.
The Chicago Tribune said this week that the time is right for marriage equality. But that time is running out. Illinois' House leadership must bring this bill to the floor if, as advocates say, the votes are there to pass it.
Visit Equality Illinois for contact information for representatives, and for other ways you can help ensure that all couples in the country's fifth most-populous state have the freedom to marry.