Call To Expand Civil Rights Protections To The LGBTQ Community

Legislation has been introduced in both Michigan’s Senate and House to expand the state’s civil rights act to protect from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Backers say polls show that voters in Michigan overwhelmingly support the effort, and numerous business and religious leaders have called for the updates.

The measure would place the LGBTQ community under the same protections of the 1976 Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act that already exist for Michiganders on the basis of religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight or marital status.