Michigan Court Rules Companies Can Refuse to Serve Gay People
A Michigan court ruled this week that companies can refuse to serve people on the basis of sexual orientation, M Live reports.
In a summary judgment, State Court of Claims Judge Christopher M. Murray ruled that Michigan anti-discrimination law, the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act of 1976 (ELCRA), does not include protections for sexual orientation. Interestingly, the same ruling concluded that is does include protections on the basis of gender identity.
The ruling was the result of two cases involving religion. One case involved Rouch World, a 300-acre park and wedding venue that refused the wedding of a same-sex couple. In the second case, Uprooted Electolysis, an upper peninsula hair removal business, refused to serve to a transgender client going through reassignment surgery.
In the first instance, the court ruled there was no violation of ELCRA, which prevents discrimination on the basis of "religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, familial status, or marital status" in the workplace, housing, schools or access to public spaces.
Stacie Clayton, Chair of Michigan Department of Civil Rights, said "we are encouraged that the Michigan Court of Claims has ruled the word 'sex' in ELCRA encompasses gender identity, but we will continue to argue that the U.S. Supreme Court was right to conclude, as did the Michigan Civil Rights Commission, that 'sex' in this context is also inclusive of sexual orientation. We are confident that Michigan's appellate courts will do the same."