Michigan Legislature Bans LGBTQ+ Discrimination

Michigan now has a criminal offense for discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. 

Michigan’s legislature declared Wednesday that discrimination against LGBTQ+ people is a civil right violation. Senate Bill 4 This legislation is also available in its companion legislation. House Bill 4003. Governor Whitmer will now sign the legislation. Gretchen Whitmer, the governor of Massachusetts, will most likely approve it. Whitmer expressed gratitude for the passage of the legislation in a statement, and also on social media. The governor has repeatedly advocated that LGBTQ+ protections be expanded to prohibit discriminatory behaviour throughout her tenure. 

“[This legislation] will help ensure Michiganders can’t be fired from their job or evicted from their home based on who they love or how they identify,” Whitmer. “This is about doing the right thing, and it is just good economics. Bigotry is bad for business, and ensuring these protections will build on our reputation as a beacon of opportunity where anyone can succeed.”

People should not be fired or expelled from their homes because they are different. Since years I have been advocating for amendments to the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act in order to increase legal protections for LGBTQ+ people.

We are finally making progress, and I am proud of it.

— Gretchen Whitmer (@gretchenwhitmer) March 9, 2023

Below Michigan lawFor civil rights violations, penalties can include civil fines starting at $10,000 and ending with $50,000 for second or more violations in a span of seven years. 

This legislation was originally created by Senate President Pro Tempore Jeremy Moss, (D-LD07).

Celebrate #equality As the Michigan House votes for my bill, I will include #LGBTQ Protective measures in the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, and forwards them to @GovWhitmer To be made law

It was a beautiful moment. pic.twitter.com/SEWdqCs4ep

— Senator Jeremy Moss (@JeremyAllenMoss) March 8, 2023

Last Wednesday’s Senate vote passed Moss’ bill 23-15; on Wednesday the House vote passed 64-45. Moss, along with fellow Senate Democrats, resisted any amendments to provide greater religious protections because they feared that it would lead to the imprisonment of those who uphold their religious beliefs. Moss claimed The expansion would not force people to abandon their faith beliefs.

“Adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the act will not compel a church to marry an LGBTQ couple,” Moss. “But adherents of a religion are required to follow neutral, generally-applicable laws.”

Moss implied, however that not all religious beliefs or interpretations should be taken into consideration. 

“Clearly some of you still want to use one verse in Leviticus to discriminate against LGBTQ people. But if you were truly sincere, a true sincere adherent to Leviticus, and you let it define how you treat other people, let it instead be the verse that rabbi Akiva, the ancient Jewish scholar and chief of the sages said was the greatest principle of the Torah […] love thy neighbor as thyself, that it is forbidden to do others what you would not want done to yourself. Treat others how you would want to be treated. I studied the Torah in Hebrew school; you’re not going to challenge me on the Old Testament. Just the fact that some of you can forget that simple principle, that’s what some might call sacrilegious.”

For far too long, #LGBTQ Michiganders couldn’t seek justice for discrimination they endured because our state had no civil rights law.

My bill was passed today by the Michigan Senate in a historic vote. It aims to increase the law and release our community. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ pic.twitter.com/heEhTktKe9

— Senator Jeremy Moss (@JeremyAllenMoss) March 1, 2023

New Testament love definitions include the requirement that love does not rejoice in “unrighteousness,” Oder “wrongdoing” – meaning, sin. This also makes homosexuality a sin in Romans writings by the apostles. 

Moss asserts that religious convictions will not be penalized by courts. Two businesses that operated in compliance with religious convictions were slated to be thrown out by Michigan’s top court. Their ruling was issued by the Michigan Supreme Court in Rouch World LLC, et al. v. Michigan Department of Civil Rights, et al. Based on the same interpretation of civil rights protections that was passed Wednesday by state legislature. 

The court declared The state expanded its protection of civil rights to cover sexual orientations and gender identities last July. For refusing service based upon religious belief, the majority of judges ruled against Rouch World and UpRooted Electrolysis. Rouch World was not allowed to hold a same-sex ceremony, while UpRooted Electrolysis would not provide hair removal services for a male identifying himself as a female. 

“From Michigan Legislature Bans LGBTQ+ Discrimination“

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