North Cook News

Allstate Corporation is supporting a group that promotes transgender students being permitted to play youth and high school sports. 

Allstate, based in Northfield Township, announced the partnership four years ago. 

“Since joining forces in 2018, Allstaters have supported GenderCool mainly through the work of Allstate’s PRIDE Employee Resource Group, which is dedicated to furthering the causes of the LGBTQ+ community inside and outside the workplace,” Allstate said in a 2020 press release. “PRIDE has led Allstate’s support of GenderCool in a variety of different ways, such as hosting a panel of GenderCool champions at its headquarters in Northbrook, IL and inviting GenderCool champions to participate in Allstate’s Virtual Pride Parade during Pride Month this past June.”

Allstate's continued relationship comes as State Farm announced it would no longer support the organization. State Farm said that it was abandoning the group's recommended curriculum in schools. 

“We do not support required curriculum in schools on this topic,” it said in a news release. “As a result, we have made the decision we will no longer be affiliated with the organization. We will continue to explore how we can support our associates, as well as organizations that align with our commitment to diversity and inclusion, including the LGBTQ+ community.” 

According to National Review, GenderCool's partners have promoted a package of three LGBTQ-positive books to local schools geared at youngsters aged 5 and above. The books are titled A Kids Book About Being Transgender, A Kids Book About Being Inclusive, and A Kids Book About Being Non-Binary.

Gubernatorial candidate State Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) calls GenderCool 'radical.' 

“GenderCool is not mainstream," Bailey said. "It is a radical organization leading the charge to let boys play girls youth and high school sports. For the moment decency and common sense have been restored at State Farm as the company has backed away from partnering with this extreme organization. Moving forward, I encourage State Farm and the other Illinois companies financing this insanity to quit the ‘woke’ cult for their employees’ sake and adhere to the values have served these companies well for many years.”