Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday expanded the state’s civil rights law to bar discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, a change long sought by LGBTQ advocates.
Previous bills to add protections for the LGBTQ community to prohibit discrimination in housing, employment, education and public accommodations stalled under GOP control of the Legislature. They were among the first reintroduced at the start of this year’s legislative session in which Democrats hold majorities in both the state House and Senate.
Whitmer called it a “new day in Michigan” that’s “been a long time coming” during a signing ceremony Thursday.
“Michigan is a state where we stand up for people’s fundamental freedoms,” she said. “I am so proud to be here, and I’m excited to put our state on the right side of history.”
Source : Clara Hendricksen, “Gov. Whitmer signs bill expanding Michigan civil rights law to include LGBTQ protections”, Detroit Free Press, March 16, 2023.