Good to live in Michigan!
Legislators in Lansing have passed a bill expanding civil rights protections for the LGBTQ+ community. The legal action covers decades of effort to expand Michigan’s Elliott-larsen Civil Rights Act (ELCRA )covering sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. The new protection applies to housing, employment, and public accommodations.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer (Democrat) signed the measure into law last Thursday. Michigan is the 22nd U.S. state to pass legislation supporting LGBTQ+ rights. The ELCRA was passed in 1976 taking effect the next year. It bans discrimination based on religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, familial status, or marital status in employment, housing, education, and access to public accommodations. Sexual orientation to it was introduced in 1983 by Republican Representative Jim Dressel, a former Air Force pilot.
Whitmer said, “I’m celebrating trans women who have continuously led the way, despite constant threats to their lives and liberty. I’m proud that we’re finally in a position to expand the Elliott-larsen Civil Rights Act to protect LGBTQ+ Michiganders.”
Earlier attempts to update the law could not be done because the Republican majority was against it. Since both houses now have a Democratic advantage and Governor Witmer, it succeeded this year. A few Gopers supported the Democrats in passing it this year. President pro tempore of the Michigan Senate, Senator Jeremy Moss (Democrat) said “For 40 long years, amending Elliott-larsen has been the battle cry of our community… This baton has been passed from generation to generation.” He named several activists: Jim Toy, Jeff Montgomery, Henry Messer, and Ruth Ellis, “and so many more who devoted their lives to this movement and did not live to see this day.”
Gopers who opposed the legislation argued that it would threaten the freedoms of religious organizations and institutions. They suggested amendments to address those concerns but those were ultimately rejected. Using religion as an excuse to hate and hinder is immoral and unacceptable to decent Michiganders. MAGA minions have shown themselves to shift blame for their own shortcomings to others such as those whom nature has caused to have different sexual orientation and gender diversity.
Members of the LGBTQ+ community are citizens of the United States and deserve every right granted to all citizens, “A Proclamation on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Pride Month, 2021:
The uprising at the Stonewall Inn in June, 1969, sparked a liberation movement — a call to action that continues to inspire us to live up to our Nation’s promise of equality, liberty, and justice for all. Pride is a time to recall the trials the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) community has endured and to rejoice in the triumphs of trailblazing individuals who have bravely fought — and continue to fight — for full equality.”
(See: A Proclamation on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Pride Month, 2021 | The White House.) https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/06/01/aproclamation-on-lesbiangay-bisexual-transgender-andqueer-pride-month-2021/
All humans are born with amounts of estrogen and testosterone hormones. Estrogen is the “female” hormone. Testosterone the “male” hormone. When in individual balance the result is “male” or “female.” Different amounts lead to a variety of results. No individual has control over how much of each is present. Those who are LGBTQ+ have varying amounts of these hormones. They were born with those levels and not by choice.
(See: Estrogen in Men: How It Works and What High or Low Levels Mean (healthline. com)). https://www.healthline. com/health/estrogen-in-men