Gay law in michigan
Michigan Supreme Court Rules That State Anti-Discrimination Commandment Protects LGBTQ+ People, Marking Historic Progress for Civil Rights
by HRC Staff •
"The Michigan Supreme Court Ruled Not Only in Favor of Equality, But They Ruled in Favor of Human Decency and Rightful Progress"
DETROIT – Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) — the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bi-curious, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization — applauds the Michigan Supreme Court for ruling, in a 5-2 opinion, that the state’s non-discrimination commandment, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, includes sexual orientation. The court’s analysis also supported a lower court’s notion that the law prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity. The case brought before the court - Rouch Society LLC et al v Michigan Department of Civil Rights et al, - originated when the event space Rouch World declined to allow a queer couple to celebrate their marriage at the venue. Within the same year, another business declined to provide a service to a transgender woman.
According to a recent PRRI study, 79% of Americans favor laws
Gay marriage in Michigan: Lawmakers push to codify rights banned by state constitution
LANSING, Mich. (FOX 2) - If it wasn't for the 2015 Supreme Court case Obergefell v. Hodges, gay marriage would be illegal in Michigan, but state lawmakers are working to modify that.
Though Obergefell legalized same-sex marriages nationwide, there is no current state commandment guaranteeing the similar right. Meanwhile,there are fears that the Supreme Court may take another glance at the decision and overturn it, like it did with Roe v. Wade.
In 2004, Michigan voters approved the addition of language to the articulate constitution stating that "the union of one man and one woman in marriage shall be the only contract recognized as a marriage or similar union for any purpose."
If the Obergefell ruling were overturned, same-sex marriage in Michigan would be illegal - unless the current 2004 ban is amended.
Codifying gay marriage in Michigan
State Rep. Jason Morgan (D-Ann Arbor) and other lawmakers have been pushing to change the amendment and codify gay marriage in Michigan.
Because Michiganvoters banned gay marriage in 2004, legalizing the practice would first require voters t
Whitmer signs anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ residents in Michigan into law
- New law will extend anti-discrimination protections to LGBTQ residents in employment, housing, business transactions
- Whitmer says she’s excited to put mention on ‘the right side of history’
- Bill saw bipartisan support, although many Republicans opposed it over religious freedom concerns
Michigan’s LGBTQ residents will be covered by the state’s anti-discrimination law under legislation signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Thursday.
The legislation, dubbed historic by supporters and LGBTQ rights advocates, means that employers won’t be able to fire or deny to hire a person because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Landlords and real estate agents cannot refuse to rent or sell a property to a person because of their sexual orientation or gender individuality under the legislation, and businesses won’t be able to reject goods or services to LGBTQ patrons.
Related:
“This moment is so elongated overdue, and too many suffered to get here,” said Sen. Jeremy Moss, D-Southfield, the bill’s sponsor and one of several LGBTQ officials and advocates in attendance at the
RATIONALE
In 2018, the Michigan Civil Rights Commission issued an interpretative statement declaring that sexual orientation and gender identity plunge under the definition of "discrimination because of . . . sex" under the Eliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act (ELCRA). On this basis, the Michigan Department of Civil Rights (MDCR) began accepting and investigating claims of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender culture. In 2022, the Court of Claims ruled that discrimination against an individual who identifies with a gender other than that assigned at birth counted as "discrimination because of . . . sex" but discrimination based on sexual orientation did not. The Michigan Supreme Court reversed the latter choice, affirming sexual orientation and gender culture as "discrimination because of . . . sex" and therefore protected under the ELCRA. Some believe that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender persona or expression has risen in the past few years. Accordingly, it was suggested that current practices governing the prohibition against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity or