CHICAGO – August 7, 2024 – TAWANI Foundation, through its founder, Colonel (IL) Jennifer N. Pritzker, IL ARNG (Retired), announces its commitment of $350K to GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD). The funds will support the litigation efforts related to the Boe v. Marshall case in Alabama, including efforts related to defending the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH)’s evidence-based medical standards for transgender healthcare. Additionally, TAWANI Foundation has committed a $100K challenge grant through May 31, 2025.
The Boe v. Marshall, case (also known as Eknes-Tucker v. Ivey) centers on a law signed by Alabama Governor Kay Ivey on April 8, 2022. This legislation, SB 184, targets transgender adolescents and their families. It imposes criminal sanctions on anyone, including healthcare providers, who assists or offers medical treatment to transgender adolescents for treatment of gender dysphoria.
“We are proud to support GLAD and its bold litigation in their fight for fairness for all people, including transgender adolescents and their families,” Col. Pritzker said. “Our hope is through the grant and matching donations, GLAD can continue advocating for justice and equality for diverse communities.”
Three Alabama parents are asking a federal court to find SB 184 unconstitutional because the law strips them of the right to make important decisions about their children’s healthcare and denies their children established medical treatments because they are transgender. The case includes Brianna Boe and her 12-year-old transgender son, Michael Boe; James Zoe and his 13-year-old transgender son Zachary Zoe; and Megan Poe and her 15-year-old transgender daughter Allison Poe, as well as two Alabama medical providers.
“Among the most pernicious efforts to restrict LGBTQ+ rights in recent years are sweeping bans on transgender people’s access to health care, including a first-of-its-kind law in Alabama criminalizing the provision of medical treatment for adolescents under the age of 19 years old,” said Jennifer Levi, GLAD Senior Director of Transgender and Queer Rights. “This generous grant from TAWANI Foundation will support vital work defending clinical practice guidelines that have been developed through rigorous and well-established methods.”
TAWANI Foundation is the philanthropic arm of TAWANI Enterprises, a Chicago-based firm with businesses spanning property management, publishing and education. The Foundation supports non-profits with grants across five main categories: education, gender & human sexuality, cultural institutions & preservation, environmental initiatives, and health & human services.
To learn more about TAWANI Foundation grants, visit https://tawanifoundation.org/our-grants. TAWANI Foundation is a private foundation that accepts applications by invitation only. There is no open application period.
About TAWANI Foundation
Founded in 2002 by notable philanthropist and entrepreneur Colonel (IL) Jennifer N. Pritzker, IL ARNG (Retired), TAWANI Enterprises’ philanthropic organization TAWANI Foundation is a 501(c)(3) that provides support in the areas of arts and culture, historical preservation, health and wellness, LGBTQ+ and human rights, education, and environmental initiatives. TAWANI Foundation’s vision is to make a sustained and measurable difference for organizations that focus on enriching knowledge, improving health and wellness, and promoting scientific understanding – all with a common goal of making a positive, long-term impact on individuals, communities, and the culture itself. To learn more, visit https://tawanifoundation.org.
About Glad
GLAD, a prominent civil rights organization established in 1978 by Boston lawyer John Ward, is dedicated to fostering a just society that is free from discrimination related to gender identity, gender expression, HIV status, and sexual orientation. Operating both in New England and across the nation, GLAD is guided by its core values: justice and lived equality, inclusion, equity, mutual respect, anti-racism and collaboration.