{{short description|American Christian organization}} {{Infobox organization | name = Illinois Family Institute | formation = {{start date and age|1990|03|28}} | image = 240px | caption = | founder = Penny Pullen | type = Non-profit 501(c)(3) | tax_id = 37-1265883 (EIN) | location = Tinley Park, Illinois<ref name="About">{{Cite web|url=https://illinoisfamily.org/about/|title=About|website=Illinois Family Institute}}</ref> | coordinates = | origins = | founded = | key_people = David E. Smith, Executive Director<br />Dr. John J. Koehler, Chairman<br />Dan Reynolds, President<br />Pastor Richard Giovannetti, Secretary<br />John Links, VP/Treasurer<br />Kathy Valente, Director of Operations<br />Laurie Higgins, Cultural analyst<ref>{{cite web |url=http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/371/371265883/371265883_201212_990.pdf |title=Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax |date=2012 |publisher=The Illinois Family Institute |access-date=June 16, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714144011/http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/371/371265883/371265883_201212_990.pdf |archive-date=July 14, 2014}}</ref> | region_served = Illinois | products = | services = | focus = | mission = | method = | revenue = | endowment = | num_volunteers = | num_employees = | num_members = | subsid = | owner = | former_name = | dissolved = | website = {{Official URL}} | footnotes = }} The '''Illinois Family Institute''' ('''IFI''') is a Christian organization based in Tinley Park, Illinois.<ref name="About"/> Founded in 1990, its stated mission is "upholding and re-affirming marriage, family, life and liberty in Illinois", and it is affiliated with the American Family Association.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://illinoisfamily.org/about/ |title = About |author = Illinois Family Institute|accessdate= July 8, 2012 }}</ref> The organization's legislative arm is the 501(c)(4) lobbying group '''Illinois Family Action''', founded in 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.illinoisfamilyaction.org/?page_id=2 |title = About |author = Illinois Family Action|date = 6 February 2010 |accessdate= July 8, 2012 }}</ref> The organization's executive director is David E. Smith, who in 2006, succeeded Peter LaBarbera, founder of Americans for Truth about Homosexuality.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://southtownstar.suntimes.com/news/3591528-418/civil-couples-quinn-illinois-unions.html|title=Quinn signs bill legalizing civil unions|last=Perlman|first=Quinn Seth|date=February 1, 2011|work=Southtown Star|accessdate=July 9, 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140330112335/http://southtownstar.suntimes.com/news/3591528-418/civil-couples-quinn-illinois-unions.html|archivedate=March 30, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-152259507.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510092845/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-152259507.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 10, 2013|title=Resigned|date=September 26, 2006|work=The Advocate|accessdate=July 9, 2012}}</ref>
IFI is a vocal opponent of abortion, separation of church and state, "activist judges", the "marriage penalty", civil unions, same-sex marriage, gambling and drug legalization.<ref name="wrex.com">{{cite news|url=http://www.wrex.com/Global/story.asp?S=11818556|title=Thousands of phone calls fight video gambling law|date=January 20, 2010|work=WREX|accessdate=July 9, 2012|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304002131/http://www.wrex.com/Global/story.asp?S=11818556|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Illinois Family Institute">{{cite web |url = http://illinoisfamily.org/issues/ |title = Issues We Follow |author = Illinois Family Institute|accessdate= July 8, 2012 }}</ref><ref name="illinoisfamily.org">{{cite web |url = http://illinoisfamily.org/issue/homosexuality/ |title = Homosexuality |author = Illinois Family Institute|accessdate= September 25, 2012 }}</ref>
==History== The Illinois Family Institute (IFI) was founded by former Illinois State Representative Penny Pullen as a nonprofit corporation on March 28, 1990, in Tinley Park, Illinois.<ref name=Corp>{{cite web|title=Corporation File Detail Report|url=http://cyberdriveillinois.com|publisher=State of Illinois|accessdate=September 30, 2012}}</ref> Pullen, whom President Ronald Reagan had appointed to the President's Commission on the HIV Epidemic in 1987,<ref name="Goroy">{{cite news | title=Pullen award just doesn't fly | date=October 4, 1987 | author=Goroy, Lynda | location=Chicago, IL | newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times}}</ref><ref name="UPI870724">{{cite news | url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:SFLB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0EB5D0755B4205DD&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0FB3382EE6AD1E46 | title=AIDS Panel Named | date=July 24, 1987 | agency=UPI | accessdate=October 1, 2012 | newspaper=Sun-Sentinel}}</ref> served as IFI's first executive director starting on January 14, 1992.<ref name=Sweet>{{cite news|last=Sweet|first=Lynn|title=Political Briefing|newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times|date=September 25, 1992}}</ref><ref name=LARP>{{cite web|title=Penny Pullen|url=http://www.lifeadvocacy.com/penny.html|accessdate=September 30, 2012|publisher=Life Advocacy Resource Project}}</ref>
IFI was founded as "an educational and grassroots action resource for public policy issues that affect Illinois citizens and their families". IFI is affiliated with organizations including Liberty Counsel, the American Family Association (AFA), and Alliance Defense Fund. IFI's executive director, David E. Smith, has been involved with the organization since March 2004.<ref name="CNW" /><ref name=IFI060816 />
In 2003, Peter LaBarbera was named head of the Focus on the Family affiliate, Illinois Family Institute.<ref name=CNW>{{cite press release|title=Illinois Family Institute Announces David Smith as New Executive Director as LaBarbera Launches National Group to Counter 'Gay' Agenda|url=http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/65149762.html|publisher=Christian News Wire|accessdate=September 23, 2012}}</ref> LaBarbera previously worked at Concerned Women for America, and was the editor of an anti-gay journal called ''The Lambda Report on Homosexual Activism''.<ref name=spl2>{{cite web|title=A Dozen Major Groups Help Drive the Religious Right's Anti-Gay Crusade|url=http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2005/spring/a-mighty-army#6|work=Intelligence Report, Spring 2005, Issue 117|publisher=Southern Poverty Law Center|accessdate=September 23, 2012}}</ref><ref name=ChurchAndState2003>{{cite journal|title=Religious Right Groups Seek Greater Voice in National Politics|url=http://www.docstoc.com/docs/55307338/Religious-right-groups-seek-greater-voice-in-national-politics%28People-andamp-Events%29|journal=Church & State|date=October 2003|volume=56|issue=9|accessdate=September 23, 2012}}</ref>
In 2006, Illinois Family Institute organized a drive to collect 345,199 signatures on petitions for "Protect Marriage Illinois", a proposed referendum to amend the Illinois constitution to declare that "marriage between a man and a woman is the only legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State".<ref name=Washington>{{cite journal|last=Washington|first=Laura S.|title=Democrats Gear Up on the Ground|url=http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/2654/|journal=In These Times|date=May 23, 2006|volume=30|issue=6|accessdate=September 23, 2012|archive-date=January 1, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101180518/http://inthesetimes.com/article/2654|url-status=dead}}</ref> The same year, LaBarbera called for the repeal of legislation prohibiting discrimination against gays. He called homosexuality "disgusting" and expressed the "need to find ways to bring back shame to those practicing homosexual behavior".<ref name=Huff120807>{{cite web|title=Illinois Family Institute, Anti-Gay Christian Group, Calls On Parents To Pull Kids From Classrooms With Gay, LGBT-Inclusive Teachers|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/07/illinois-family-institute_n_1753592.html|publisher=Huffington Post|accessdate=September 23, 2012|date=August 7, 2012}}</ref> Later that year, LaBarbera left IFI to return to a group he founded in 1996, Americans for Truth About Homosexuality (AFTAH), which claims to be "dedicated to confronting the homosexual activist agenda" and is also designated as an anti-gay hate group by the SPLC.<ref name="CNW" /><ref name=IFI060816>{{cite news|title=Illinois Family Institute Announces David Smith as New Executive Director as LaBarbera Launches National Venture|url=http://business.highbeam.com/1208/article-1G1-149580142/illinois-family-institute-announces-david-smith-new|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101161440/http://business.highbeam.com/1208/article-1G1-149580142/illinois-family-institute-announces-david-smith-new|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 1, 2015|accessdate=September 24, 2012|newspaper=U.S. Newswire|date=August 16, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=About Us|url=http://americansfortruth.com/about/|publisher=Americans For Truth About Homosexuality|accessdate=September 23, 2012}}</ref><ref name="Schlatter2010" /> In August 2006, David E. Smith succeeded LaBarbera as IFI's Executive Director after having joined IFI in 2004 as a Senior Policy Analyst.<ref name=IFI060816 />
Laurie Higgins joined IFI as cultural analyst and Kathy Valente joined as Director of operations in 2008. Higgins previously worked for Deerfield High School's writing center. Higgins resigned from IFI in January 2023. Valente was the state director for Concerned Women for America for four years prior to joining IFI.<ref name="HigginsBio">{{cite web | url=http://illinoisfamily.org/author/?id=268 | title=Laurie Higgins IFI Cultural Anaylst | publisher=Illinois Family Institute | accessdate=October 1, 2012}}</ref><ref name="ValenteBio">{{cite web | url=http://illinoisfamily.org/author/?id=20 | title=Kathy Valente IFI Director of Operations | publisher=Illinois Family Institute | accessdate=October 1, 2012}}</ref>
In 2010, after Jim Daly of Focus on the Family announced plans to "cultivate a less severe image", IFI's Laurie Higgins responded "If the family is FOF's mission, then they better figure out how to stop the pro-homosexual juggernaut--nicely, of course--because soon every child from kindergarten through high school will be taught about 'diverse family structures' and Heather's two nice mommies".<ref name=CS1006>{{cite journal|title=FOF Founder Dobson Returns to Radio with Shrill New Program|journal=Church & State|date=June 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2010/winter/under-attack-gays-remain-minority-mos | title=Gays Remain Minority Most Targeted by Hate Crimes | publisher=Southern Poverty Law Center | work=Intelligence Report | year=2010 | accessdate=October 1, 2012 | author=Potok, Mark}}</ref>
In 2012, IFI called for parents to remove their children from classrooms led by teachers who support LGBT related instruction. In their document, ''Challenge Teachers, Not Books'', they encouraged parents to "object to teachers rather than texts", offering suggestions for parents who are "fed up with the subtle and not so subtle messages that activist teachers of a liberal bent work into their classroom teaching through their classroom comments, curricular materials... and even their desks and classroom displays".<ref name=Huff120807 /><ref name=HigginsChallenge>{{cite web|last=Higgins|first=Laurie|title=Challenge Teachers not Books|url=http://illinoisfamily.org/110files/uploads/2012/02/IFI_ChallengeTeachers.pdf|publisher=Illinois Family Institute|accessdate=September 23, 2012|archive-date=August 9, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120809001839/http://illinoisfamily.org/110files/uploads/2012/02/IFI_ChallengeTeachers.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
== Positions == Illinois Family Institute opposes abortion, separation of church and state, "activist judges", and the "marriage penalty". They further oppose the recognition of civil unions, same-sex marriage and all laws recognizing or protecting non-heterosexual relationships or activity. They also oppose the expansion of gambling in Illinois<ref name="wrex.com"/> and drug legalization. IFI explicitly opposes "efforts to include 'sexual orientation' and 'gender identity' as a categories [sic] for preferential status under civil rights statutes at the federal, state and local levels".<ref name="Illinois Family Institute"/><ref name="illinoisfamily.org"/>
===Evolution=== IFI supports teaching of creationism in school as a way to present "both sides of an argument" even though a 1987 U.S. Supreme Court ruling bars creationism from science classes on constitutional grounds, because it would tend to endorse religion or a particular religious belief.<ref name=Lissau110226>{{cite news|last=Lissau|first=Russell|title=Yes votes for God in class Daily Herald|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:ADHB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=135A6FE83B53F918&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0FB3382EE6AD1E46|accessdate=September 30, 2012|newspaper=Daily Herald|date=February 26, 2011|location=Arlington Heights, IL}}</ref><ref name=Lissau110214>{{cite news|url=http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20110214/news/702149843/|title=Candidates: Teach creationism in science classes|last=Lissau|first=Russell|date=February 14, 2011|work=Daily Herald|accessdate=July 9, 2012}}</ref>
As early as 1996, IFI consultants made recommendations to Illinois educators to keep explicit references to evolution out of public school classrooms in Illinois, a recommendation that was approved in July 1997. According to IFI, "those efforts enabled us to keep objectionable sex education and mandatory teaching of evolution out of the standards, leaving such issues to local control".<ref name=AP991025>{{cite news|title=Evolution ' Already Gone From Illinois School Policy|accessdate=September 30, 2012|newspaper=The Evansville Courier|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:EVCB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0EAE4E9323BE70CE&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0FB3382EE6AD1E46|date=October 25, 1999|author=The Associated Press|location=Indiana}}</ref><ref name=JS991025>{{cite news|title=Illinois Update|url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:PJSB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0EB6F299B4EF053C&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0FB3382EE6AD1E46|accessdate=September 30, 2012|newspaper=Journal Star|date=October 25, 1999|location=Peoria, IL}}</ref> IFI's efforts were credited with the then-unpublicized elimination of word from Illinois school curricula.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bR8vAAAAIBAJ&sjid=H90FAAAAIBAJ&pg=4226,9501591&dq=illinois+family+institute&hl=en|title=Evolution Debate In Illinois Went By Unnoticed Two Years Ago|date=October 25, 1999|work=The Southeast Missourian|page=5A|accessdate=July 9, 2012}}</ref>
===Civil unions=== When the State of Illinois passed legislation in 2011 creating the option of civil unions, IFI's Executive Director stated in an interview "Unfortunately, this social experiment will have a ripple effect on our culture that will touch every American and, most tragically, our children. What is happening here in Illinois is a tragic attempt by radical forces to advance a political agenda by using the authority of the government to validate wrong and unhealthy relationships." According to Smith, the IFI is concerned that through civil unions, children will be taught in school that homosexuality is normal and something they might want to try.<ref name=DN-Whatcott>{{cite news|last=Whatcott|first=Andrea|title=Conservative groups: Civil unions undermine traditional marriage between heterosexual couples|url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700138344/Conservative-groups-Civil-unions-undermine-traditional-marriage-between-heterosexual-couples.html?pg=all|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101153253/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700138344/Conservative-groups-Civil-unions-undermine-traditional-marriage-between-heterosexual-couples.html?pg=all|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 1, 2015|accessdate=1 October 2012|newspaper=The Deseret News|date=24 May 2011}}</ref>
===LGBT Issues=== Illinois Family Institute has been criticized for some of its positions, most notably their stances on LGBT issues. In 2009, Laurie Higgins, the directory of school advocacy for IFI said: "There was something profoundly good for society about the prior stigmatization of homosexual practice".<ref name=Schlatter2010>{{cite journal |url=http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2010/winter/the-hard-liners |last=Schlatter |first=Evelyn |title=18 Anti-Gay Groups and Their Propaganda |journal=Intelligence Report |date=Winter 2010 |number=140 }}</ref><ref>The words are also repeated here as well {{cite web|url=http://www.aim.org/aim-column/glenn-beck-is-awol-in-the-cultural-war/|title=Glenn Beck is AWOL in the Cultural War|last=Higgins|first=Laurie|date=August 17, 2010|accessdate=August 30, 2012|archive-date=August 23, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100823051859/http://www.aim.org/aim-column/glenn-beck-is-awol-in-the-cultural-war/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Institute has also strongly opposed speeches and presentations by Dan Savage of the It Gets Better Project which campaigns to help prevent suicide among LGBT youth.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://illinoisfamily.org/homosexuality/dan-savage-tolerant-bully/ |title = Dan Savage: "Tolerant" Bully |author = Matt Barber (Illinois Family Institute)|date = 2 May 2012 |accessdate= July 8, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Illinois Family Institute: Civil Unions Will Lead To Polygamous Marriages|url=https://dallasvoice.com/illinois-family-institute-civil-unions-will-lead-to-polygamous-marriages/|accessdate=August 30, 2012|newspaper=Dallas Voice|date=November 26, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230117182844/https://dallasvoice.com/illinois-family-institute-civil-unions-will-lead-to-polygamous-marriages/|archive-date=17 January 2023|url-status=live}}</ref>
IFI called for a boycott of U.S. retailer Target Corporation in 2004, after Target banned Salvation Army bell ringers from collecting donations in front of its stores, under pressure from LGBT advocacy groups.<ref name="Stewart">{{cite news | title=Gay groups did not take aim at Target | date=December 14, 2004 | author=Stewart, D.L. | location=Dayton, OH | newspaper=Dayton Daily News}}</ref><ref name="Phan">{{cite web | url=http://global.christianpost.com/news/pro-family-groups-suspect-homosexual-activists-behind-target-s-salvation-army-ban-20797/ | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130119043906/http://global.christianpost.com/news/pro-family-groups-suspect-homosexual-activists-behind-target-s-salvation-army-ban-20797/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=January 19, 2013 | title=Pro-Family Groups Suspect Homosexual Activists Behind Target's Salvation Army Ban | publisher=Christian Post | date=December 16, 2004 | accessdate=October 1, 2012 | author=Phan, Katherine T. }}</ref><ref name="IFI041210">{{cite web | url=http://illinoisfamily.org/media/ifi-news-release-boycott-target-stores-over-salvation-army/ | title=IFI News Release: Boycott Target Stores over Salvation Army | publisher=Illinois Family Institute | date=December 10, 2004 | accessdate=October 1, 2012}}</ref> IFI and the American Family Association threatened to boycott Kraft Foods and Harris Bank in 2005 for sponsoring the Gay Games, a gay and lesbian sporting event in Chicago; neither Kraft nor Harris Bank withdrew their sponsorship.<ref name="Slania">{{cite journal | url= http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:CRCH&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=10A5F0F5EDB2D8CE&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0FB3382EE6AD1E46 | title=Gay Games will test Kraft, Harris - Boycott threatened against local sponsors | author=Slania, John T. | journal=Crain's Chicago Business | volume=28 | issue=21 | pages=1 | date=May 23, 2005}}</ref><ref name="CT050607">{{cite news | title=Conservative Christian groups attack companies for role in Gay Games | date=June 7, 2005 | agency=Chicago Tribune | author=Yue, Lorene | location=Chicago, IL}}</ref>
===Anti-bullying=== In 2012, Illinois state Senator Heather Steans, sponsored legislation that would require Illinois schools to discourage bullying by adopting anti-bullying policies. IFI and other conservative groups opposed the bill, claiming its real goal was "to use public education to promote unproven, non-factual beliefs about the nature and morality of homosexuality and 'transgenderism'."<ref name=AP120521>{{cite web|title=Bullying legislation prompts opposition from conservative groups|url=https://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Family/2012/0521/Bullying-legislation-prompts-opposition-from-conservative-groups|publisher=Christian Science Monitor|accessdate=September 30, 2012|agency=Associated Press|date=May 21, 2012}}</ref> IFI's Laurie Higgins has been an outspoken critic of efforts to stop LGBT-related bullying in schools. On IFI's website, Higgins wrote "If you care about children's temporal and eternal lives, please oppose any anti-bullying efforts in public schools that imply that homosexual behavior is worthy of affirmation."<ref name=Stone>{{cite news|last=Stone|first=Micha J.|title=Illinois Family Institute: Portrait of Christian hate|url=http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_action=doc&p_topdoc=1&p_docnum=1&p_sort=YMD_date:D&p_product=AWNB&p_text_direct-0=document_id=%28%2013420442B5A11488%20%29&p_docid=13420442B5A11488&p_theme=aggdocs&p_queryname=13420442B5A11488&f_openurl=yes&p_nbid=L68X53MJMTM0OTAxMTU1Ny4zMTQ2NTU6MTo4OnJmLTE3NTA2&&p_multi=PEOR|accessdate=September 30, 2012|newspaper=Portland Examiner|date=August 21, 2009|location=Portland, OR}}</ref>
Higgins has expressed that she does not condone bullying and she believes it is reprehensible. She also states that "conservatives need to better understand how "progressives" (or more accurately, "transgressives") cynically exploit the issue of bullying to promote their causes and ideologies." She draws a distinction between ''bona fide'' bullying and simple ideological disagreement, primarily on First Amendment grounds.<ref name=Higgins120916>{{cite web|last=Higgins|first=Lauri|title=Constitution Week at York, Waubonsie, and Downers Grove North High Schools|date=17 September 2012 |url=http://illinoisfamily.org/education/constitution-week-at-york-waubonsie-and-downers-grove-north-high-schools/|publisher=Illinois Family Institute|accessdate=September 30, 2012}}</ref>
==Southern Poverty Law Center designation== Illinois Family Institute was designated an anti-gay hate group in 2009 by the Southern Poverty Law Center.<ref name=HuffPo120807>{{cite web|title=Illinois Family Institute, Anti-Gay Christian Group, Calls On Parents To Pull Kids From Classrooms With Gay, LGBT-Inclusive Teachers|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/07/illinois-family-institute_n_1753592.html|publisher=Huffington Post|accessdate=September 30, 2012|date=August 7, 2012}}</ref><ref name=CS1102>{{cite journal|title=Family Research Council Named 'Hate Group' by Watchdog Organization|journal=Church & State|date=February 2011}}</ref><ref name=Schlatter2010/> The SPLC report stated that IFI was "heavily focused on attacking gay people and homosexuality in general." The SPLC further stated that the organization had "occasionally embraced the groundless propaganda of Paul Cameron", a researcher whose studies about the life expectancy of homosexuals the SPLC says have been "utterly discredited." Although IFI removed the Cameron advocacy from their website in 2009, SPLC maintains that IFI retains a "hard-line position" on homosexuality.<ref name=Schlatter2010/><ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-files/ideology/anti-gay/active_hate_groups |title = Active Anti-Gay Groups |author = Southern Poverty Law Center|accessdate= July 8, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Potok|first=Mark|title=The Illinois Family Institute Again Cites Discredited Research, Briefly|url=http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2009/04/17/the-illinois-family-institute-again-cites-discredited-research-briefly/|accessdate=August 29, 2012|newspaper=SPLC Hatewatch|date=April 17, 2009}}</ref> In its November 2010 ''Intelligence Report'', the SPLC again listed IFI as an anti-gay hate group, citing rhetoric from Higgins which included the "likening the German Evangelical Church's weak response to fascism to the "American church's failure to respond appropriately to the spread of radical, heretical, destructive views of homosexuality".<ref name=Schlatter2010/>
==See also== * Eagle Forum * Intelligent design * LGBT rights in Illinois * Recognition of same-sex unions in Illinois * The Civil Rights Agenda
== References == {{Reflist|2}}
==External links== * {{Official website}} * {{ProPublicaNonprofitExplorer|371265883}}
Category:American Family Association Category:Anti-abortion organizations in the United States Category:Carol Stream, Illinois Category:Charities based in Illinois Category:1990 establishments in Illinois Category:American organizations established in 1992 Category:Organizations that oppose LGBTQ rights in the United States Category:Conservative organizations in the United States