Salon owner faces civil rights charge

LANSING, Mich. — A hair salon in northern Michigan is facing a discrimination charge from the state’s Department of Civil Rights after its owner posted on social media earlier this year that anyone identifying as other than a man or a woman is not welcome at her business.

The department claims in the charge filed Wednesday that Traverse City’s Studio 8 Hair Lab violated the state’s civil rights act in a Facebook post in July from its owner, Christine Geiger, by unlawfully discriminating against three claimants.

The post, which is no longer available, read, “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.’”

A hearing will now be scheduled before an administrative law judge, who will issue a recommendation after hearing the merits of the complaint, according to the civil rights department. The recommendation will then go before Michigan’s Civil Rights Commission to either adopt or make its own ruling.

Penalties, according to the complaint, could include monetary compensation for the claimants’ emotional distress and mental anguish sustained by the discrimination. The department allows for any other relief “as the commission seems just and proper,” which could include additional fees and a recommendation that the business’ license be suspended.

Geiger, who did not respond to a request for comment by email, filed her own complaint against the city of Traverse City and the three individuals on Oct. 25. The complaint accuses the city and three of its residents of violating the salon’s First Amendment rights for filing civil rights complaints, according to the lawsuit obtained by The Associated Press.

Her attorney, David DeLaney, told AP that Geiger was exercising free speech and that the comments reflected her “religious beliefs.” He added that Geiger never physically blocked anyone from entering her business.

In a July interview with The Associated Press, Geiger stood by her posts and said small business owners should be free to serve whomever they wish.

“I just don’t want the woke dollar. … I’d rather not be as busy than to have to do services that I don’t agree with.”