Michigan Department of Civil Rights Issues Statement on Court of Appeals Ruling that Transgender Residents are Protected by Ethnic Intimidation Law

LANSING, MI--John. E. Johnson, Jr., Executive Director of the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, has issued the following statement on the Michigan Court of Appeals ruling that transgender individuals are protected under Michigan's Ethnic Intimidation Act.

"We applaud the Michigan Court of Appeals for ruling that transgender individuals are protected under Michigan's Ethnic Intimidation Act. The transgender community faces discrimination, harassment and hate with staggering frequency. While this one ruling will not end gender-based intimidation on its own, it means those who target transgender individuals can face legal consequences for their actions, and it provides transgender people with some comfort knowing that the law protects them. With its recognition that our understanding of gender has evolved to recognize that discrimination based on transgender status necessarily implicates sex, the Michigan Court of Appeals has affirmed the humanity of the transgender community and transwomen in particular."

The Michigan Civil Rights Commission was created by the Michigan Constitution to safeguard constitutional and legal guarantees against discrimination. The Commission is charged with investigating alleged discrimination against any person because of religion, race, color or national origin, genetic information, sex, age, marital status, height, weight, arrest record, and physical and mental disability. The Michigan Department of Civil Rights serves as the operational arm of the Commission.

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