Michigan Governor Signs Transgender Antidiscrimination Law

[cooperross]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 6:43pm

Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm has signed an executive order banning discrimination in state employment based on gender identity or expression, according to Michigan LGBT rights group Triangle Foundation. The legislation applies to the approximately 50,000 state employees in Michigan's executive branch, which makes up 95% of all state employees. The order will protect not only transgender workers but also any state employee who faces discrimination because he or she does not conform to traditional gender norms in behavior or appearance.

Triangle Foundation director of policy Sean Kosofsky said the move sends the message that discrimination is not tolerated in the state.

"We can only hope that our national leaders, who are currently debating whether or not to protect transgender workers in federal law, will share our governor's vision," Kosofsky said in the Triangle Foundation press release.

"This just shows that the state of Michigan is moving in the right direction in regard to state employees," Michelle Fox-Phillips, executive director of Transgender Detroit, said in the release. "Our sincere thanks to Triangle Foundation for their hard work [on this issue] over the years." (The Advocate)

Advocate article

[Elphaba]

Posted: 11/21/07 at 6:47pm

"Triangle Foundation director of policy Sean Kosofsky said the move sends the message that discrimination is not tolerated in the state."

uh no, it means state employees are safe, all other employees are not. Michigan is an extremely homophobic state

[~FloweryFriend~]

Posted: 11/22/07 at 12:26am

I grew up in Michigan, and I never had any experiences with it being "extremely homophobic". I had several openly gay friends, one of whom ended up being prom king at my high school.

I'm not saying it's free of homophobes. I'm just saying that "extremely homophobic" people weren't part of my experience there.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 11/22/07 at 2:28am

Well, congrats to Michigan for taking a step in the right direction. :)