The Michigan Department of Civil Rights this week filed a charge of sex (gender identity) discrimination on behalf of three claimants with the Michigan Civil Rights Commission. The complaint (full text) in Michigan Department of Civil Rights v. Studio 8 Hair Lab, LLC, (MI Civil Rts. Commn, filed 11/15/2023), says that a Traverse City hair salon posted the following on its business Facebook page:
If a human identifies as anything other than a man/woman please seek services at a local pet groomer. You are not welcome at this salon. Period. Should you request to have a particular pronoun used Please note we may simply refer to you as hey you,,,, This small business has a right to refuse services. We are not bound to any oaths as relators are regarding discrimination.
Follow-up postings included the statement: "There are 2 genders; anything more is a mental health issue." The complaint contends that this posting violates the public accommodation provisions of the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act. The Department of Civil Rights issued a press release announcing the filing of the discrimination charge.
