Public comment is now open for whether you think the state should clarify language in Michigan’s civil rights act.
Many LGBT activists want the Michigan Civil Rights Commission to issue guidelines. Those guidelines would state that sexual orientation and gender identity are protected against discrimination under the state’s civil rights law. The Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act lists attributes people can’t discriminate for – like race, religion and sex.
Jay Kaplan is with the ACLU of Michigan. He says gender identity can be interpreted under the broader term “sex.”
“There have been federal courts that have viewed discrimination against LGBT people to be a form of sex discrimination because it’s based on gender stereotyping," says Kaplan.
Public comments are open until August 15.