Table Of Content
- Michigan Civil Rights Commission to Meet in Detroit on Monday, January 22
- New push to reform Michigan corporate subsidies, this time from Republicans
- Michigan hair salon Studio 8 turns away trans clients, limiting service for LGBTQ patrons
- Michigan ‘fake elector’ judge threatens contempt for witness intimidation
- The Michigan Civil Rights Commission Celebrates 60th Anniversary in Lansing Ceremony
- Run With An Olympian: Track Star LaShawn Merritt Visits Traverse City
City Attorney Lauren Trible-Laucht notes that Studio 8’s legal team has agreed to extend the deadline for defendants to respond until December 1, with the city now working toward filing a response. Trible-Laucht otherwise declined to comment on the case, citing the ongoing nature of the litigation. The case is before Judge Kevin Elsenheimer, though no hearings have yet been set. The salon's owner did not respond to requests for comment from USA TODAY or the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network. Christine Geiger, identified as a co-owner of the salon on LinkedIn, said in a Facebook comment reviewed by USA TODAY that she has "no issues" with lesbian, gay and bisexual people.
Michigan Civil Rights Commission to Meet in Detroit on Monday, January 22
The city of 15,700 anchors a Lake Michigan resort community with sandy beaches, cherry orchards and arts festivals. Some residents say the city’s cheery exterior masks racial and cultural divides similar to those elsewhere in the U.S. “I’ve had a big outpouring of support from my existing clients,” she said, but she’s also been flooded with angry messages, some making threats.
New push to reform Michigan corporate subsidies, this time from Republicans
"STUDIO 8 HAIR LOFT is a very LGBTQ+ friendly salon, please do not mistake us for the other salon." “As a direct and proximate result of Respondent’s unlawful discrimination, Claimants L.M., H.S. Have suffered the loss of full and equal enjoyment of a public accommodation due to Respondent’s published statements,” the charge read. A judge has ruled in favor of a bakery owner who refused to make wedding cakes for a same-sex couple because it violated her religious beliefs. Since July of this year, MDCR has received a total of 21 complaints of discrimination against Studio 8. Of those, 3 are part of the current charge, another 3 are currently under investigation and 2 are being evaluated to determine if the department has jurisdiction.
Michigan hair salon Studio 8 turns away trans clients, limiting service for LGBTQ patrons
The MDCR’s charge requests that Geiger pay the claimants for emotional distress and “mental anguish” her posts caused. If decided after a hearing, Studio 8 and Geiger could have state licensing certifications revoked based on violation of ELCRA. The Michigan Department of Civil Rights (MDCR) has issued a charge of discrimination against Studio 8 Hair Lab, the Traverse City salon that drew national attention in July for anti-trans online posts made by its owner, Christine Geiger. Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination in employment, housing and public services based on religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, familial status or marital status. Senate Bill 4, the expansion of the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, would be the more relevant statute, which aims to protect members of the LGBTQ+ community from discrimination in employment, public accommodations, public services, housing and educational facilities.
'Welcoming people exist here': Traverse City reacts to anti-trans salon policy • Michigan Advance - Michigan Advance
'Welcoming people exist here': Traverse City reacts to anti-trans salon policy • Michigan Advance.
Posted: Thu, 13 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
The post garnered hundreds of comments and reactions, including significant pushback from LGBTQ+ advocates, before it was deleted. “This stance was taken to insure that clients have the best experience and I am admitting that since I am not willing to play the pronoun game or cater to requests outside of what I perceive as normal this probably isn’t the best option for that type of client,” she wrote. The salon could be subject to suspension or repeal of its business licenses by the Michigan Civil Rights Commission following a hearing by an administrative judge. “We are likely going to see more attempts to try and use that decision and religious beliefs to justify discrimination in non-religious activity,” he says.
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That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls. The state passed a law in 1976 that bans firing someone, evicting them or otherwise discriminating against them because they are a member of the LGBTQ community. Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.
Christine Geiger’s online posts have drawn criticism from Traverse City’s mayor and other officials, who said they were looking into whether she was violating a municipal anti-discrimination ordinance. In an email to the Free Press, Jocelyn Link, a chairperson at Polestar LGBTQ+ Community Center in Traverse City, said Studio 8 Hair Lab's comments are not welcome in the community. She told the publication that she saw an "outpouring of support" from some of her clients and backlash from others, including threats and angry messages. Geiger and Studio 8 Hair Lab did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Insider ahead of publication. Michigan state Rep. Betsy Coffia, a Democrat, denounced the salon's posts as "breathtaking hate and bigotry."
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A claimant or respondent who does not agree with the Commission’s final order may appeal to the circuit court for review of the case. CEED seeks to engage a broad range of stakeholders to achieve long-term and sustainable outcomes to complex problems. We collaborate with community organizations; churches; non-profit organizations; and city, county, state and federal government entities to address issues affecting the well-being of community members. Engaging in a collaborative manner is a powerful tool used to bring about environmental, social and behavioral changes that will improve the health of the community and its members. "Should you request to have a particular pronoun used please note we may simply refer to you as 'hey you.' Regardless of MI HB 4744," the post stated. "We stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community and reiterate our commitment to supporting their rights," Jack Winn Pro continued.
Run With An Olympian: Track Star LaShawn Merritt Visits Traverse City
A local LGBTQ+ advocacy group told the Detroit Free Press that the comments are not welcome in the city. The Michigan salon received backlash online and at one point had a 1.5-star rating on Google Reviews, screenshots posted to Facebook show. But Jay Kaplan, staff attorney for the ACLU of Michigan’s LGBTQ+ Project, said the same argument could not be applied in the case of Studio 8 Hair Lab as giving a haircut would not qualify as a customized tailored speech. News of Studio 8 Hair Lab’s post, and subsequent refusal of service, was first reported by the northern Michigan television station 9&10 News.
The salon itself – located on Eighth Street – was closed, with a sign posted on the door that services are by appointment only. Studio 8 Hair Lab said in a Facebook post last weekend that it would not serve anyone who "identifies as anything other than a man/woman," USA Today reported. In a separate post, the business clarified that this was intended to refer to any gender-nonconforming people, including those who are transgender. The original post, which has since been deleted, suggested that people with such gender identities should instead "seek services at a local pet groomer," according to the report.
TRAVERSE CITY — A local salon owner has been charged with discrimination after refusing to serve certain members of the LGBTQ community. In their suit, Studio 8 challenges the constitutionality of the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on sex, gender or race. Attorney General Nessel argues that only the Michigan Court of Claims can hear cases against the State of Michigan and its departments.
Geiger, the salon co-owner, told local outlet 9 & 10 News that she is taking a stand against legislation recently passed by Michigan legislators seeking to expand the state's hate crime law to protect gender identity and sexual orientation. In response to one of the negative reviews that appears to have been deleted, the salon owner said “LGB” clients are welcome, but “the rest of it is not something I support,” referencing transgender and queer people. Supreme Court sided with a Denver-based web designer who refused to create websites for same-sex weddings, arguing that it would violate her religious beliefs and right to free speech.
MDCR said a business doesn’t have to actually bar someone from entering to violate the law. Printing, posting, or publishing statements announcing that the “full and equal enjoyment” of a public accommodation will be refused to protected classes of customers – or saying their patronage is “objectionable, unwelcome, or undesirable” – violates the law, MDCR said. Of the 21 complaints the state received about Studio 8, three are part of the charge announced Wednesday, another three are still under investigation, and two are being evaluated to determine if the department has jurisdiction. The salon's announcement and subsequent backlash come after the Supreme Court's ruling at the end of June that businesses could refuse to serve LGBTQ+ clients. The court ruled 6-3 that a wedding website's owner could deny services to gay couples. A hearing will now be scheduled before an administrative law judge, who will issue a recommendation after hearing the merits of the complaint, according to the civil rights department.
Her attorney, David DeLaney, told AP that Geiger was exercising free speech and that the comments reflected her “religious beliefs.” He added that Geiger never physically blocked anyone from entering her business. The primary mission of the MCRC and MDCR is to investigate complaints of discrimination in employment, education, housing, public accommodation, law enforcement and public service. In a now-deleted Facebook post, Geiger encouraged those who identified as "anything other than a man/woman" to "seek services at a local pet groomer."
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