LGBQTIA+ Student Resources

Northwestern Pritzker School of Law is a proud ally to our LGBTQIA+ community.  We strive to be a community were students, staff, faculty and community members from all sexes, gender identities, gender expressions, and sexualities feel welcome and celebrated.  Our work continues, and our hope is that these resources will help our LGBTQIA+ community feel seen and supported.

Northwestern University Resources

  • OUTLaw is a student organization that provides opportunities to act together on the political, social, and academic concerns of lesbian, gay, and bisexual students and to connect with affiliated communities in the Chicago area.
  • The LGBTQ Advisory Board for Northwestern’s Office of Multicultural Student Affairs meets monthly to discuss any issues and/or needs for LGBTQIA students. Some of the Advisory Board’s work includes a Queer Wellness Retreat, sending a delegation to the LGBTQ Task Force’s National Conference called Creating Change, and serving as a space for feedback for various NU departments. Contact MSA at msa@northwestern.edu to learn more about the LGBTQ Advisory Board.
  • The Gender and Sexuality Resource Center works to provide a safe and affirming space for all members of the Northwestern University campus and acts as a hub for organizations, resources, services, and programs of interest to the Queer, Trans*, and Ally community.
  • The Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing is the largest institute in the U.S. to focus on sexual and gender minority (SGM) health research. Explore their website to find programs, events, and research supporting SGM health and wellbeing.
  • MSA List of LGBTQIA Community Resources

Local Resources

  • Equality Illinois is a legal activism group for LGBT rights
  • The Chicago LGBT Blog features issues and discussion surrounding the LGBT community. It also has information on fighting for your rights and the stance of different legislators and how they can impact the LGBT community.
  • The Transformative Justice Law Project of Illinois provides free life-affirming and gender-affirming holistic criminal legal services to low-income and street based transgender and gender non-conforming people targeted by the criminal legal system.
  • Center on Halsted is the Midwest's most comprehensive community center dedicated to advancing community and securing the health and well-being of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) people of Chicagoland. More than 1,000 community members visit the Center every day, located in the heart of Chicago's Lakeview Neighborhood.
  • Affinity95 is a Black - and queer-led organization in Chicago's south side dedicated to social justice in the Black LGBTQ+ communities. Their organization centers on black queer women through community organizing, intergenerational programming, education, and healing justice. 
  • Brave Space Alliance is the first Black-led, trans-led LGBTQ+ center located on the south side of Chicago, dedicated to creating and providing affirming, culturally competent, and for-us by-us resources, programming, and services (ranging from food pantries to transitional housing) for LGBTQ+ individuals on the south and west side of Chicago. 
  • The Chicago Coalition of Welcoming Churches is a collection of more than 80 churches and other ministries in the Chicagoland area that welcome and affirm people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. The coalition works to encourage inclusion of LGBTQ+ people in faith communities and connect members to resources. 
  • Howard Brown Health provides affirming health and wellness care to LGBTQ+ people. They have various locations across the city in addition to a research center focused on working with healthcare professionals and advancing policies that improve the lives of LGBTQ+ people and their families. 
  • Invisible 2 Invincible (i2i) is an organization that aims to celebrate and affirm LGBTQ+ Asian Pacific Islanders living in the Chicagoland area. The organization supports immigrant and refugee issues, reproductive justice, racial justice, solidarity work, and family acceptance of LGBTQ+ Asians. 
  • Lamba Legal Illinois is a local branch of a national legal organization that advocates for the rights of LGBTQ+ people. It provides free legal representation to clients and works to change public policy to better protect LGBTQ+ people.
  • Masjid al-Rabia is a BIPOC-led and LGBTQ+ affirming Islamic community center that strives to provide spiritual support to marginalized Muslims with healing justice practices in mind. Through outreach, education, and advocacy initiatives, Masjid al-Rabia focuses on building a faith-justice space that is safe and affirming for all LGBTQ+ Muslims. 
  • PR!DEARTS is a not-for-profit organization that exhibits, promotes, and champions LGBTQ+ artists through all media and art forms. Through visual and performing arts, PR!DEARTS aims to curate diverse LGBTQ+ stories and art forms with a universal appeal that celebrates queer issues. 

National Resources