Court dismisses all claims by Studio 8 against Traverse City, residents and Michigan Department of Civil Rights

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• Other businesses you might consider
• Owner of Studio 8 Hair Lab in Traverse City stands by controversial Facebook post
• Michigan city investigates salon owner's online comments about gender identity
• Discover More Local Pros
• Embracing Inclusivity: Exploring LGBTQ+-Friendly Hair Salons in Traverse City
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A Facebook post from Studio 8 Hair Lab suggested that anyone who identifies as anything other than a man or a woman should see a pet groomer and that service would be denied to them. Late last month multiple outlets, including Fox News and the Daily Mail, ran stories arguing the legislation would make it a felony to use the wrong pronouns for someone, despite the fact the word “pronouns” appears nowhere in the bill. The court later ruled in her favor, noting that her designs constituted a form of speech and that forcing her to design a website which ran afoul of her faith could stifle her First Amendment rights. State Rep. Betsy Coffia, D-Traverse City, issued a response on Tuesday addressing Studio 8 Hair Lab's remarks. She denounced the comparison of "LGBTQ+ neighbors to animals and pedophiles," describing it as "breathtaking hate and bigotry."

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Owner of Studio 8 Hair Lab in Traverse City stands by controversial Facebook post

Michigan files charge against salon owner for anti-trans post - New York Daily News

Michigan files charge against salon owner for anti-trans post.

Posted: Wed, 15 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

"It's the TQ+ that I'm not going to support," she said, referring to transgender and queer or questioning people. The comment, posted in a local Facebook group, used language often repeated by far-right conspiracy theorists to paint LGBTQ people as "groomers" dangerous to young people. The salon's owner did not respond to requests for comment from USA TODAY or the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network.

Michigan city investigates salon owner's online comments about gender identity

The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy. But Jay Kaplan, staff attorney for the ACLU of Michigan’s LGBTQ+ Project, said the same argument could not be applied in the case of Studio 8 Hair Lab as giving a haircut would not qualify as a customized tailored speech. News of Studio 8 Hair Lab’s post, and subsequent refusal of service, was first reported by the northern Michigan television station 9&10 News.

"We stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community and reiterate our commitment to supporting their rights," Jack Winn Pro continued. On Wednesday, protesters stood outside the salon chanting and holding signs, AP reported. “Speaking and conduct two different things…And they can’t equate the two.

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“I’ve had a big outpouring of support from my existing clients,” she said, but she’s also been flooded with angry messages, some making threats. Christine Geiger’s online posts have drawn criticism from Traverse City’s mayor and other officials, who said they were looking into whether she was violating a municipal anti-discrimination ordinance. Geiger went on to say that while she has been flooded with angry messages and threats, she said she has "had a big outpouring of support from my existing clients." Now legal experts say that not only is the business misinterpreting a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the topic to refuse service, but that it may be running afoul of discrimination protections in Michigan.

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Studio 8 is suing the City of Traverse City and three individuals who filed complaints against the salon, accusing them of violating the salon’s free speech and religious freedom rights. Supreme Court decision along 6-3 partisan lines that ruled a Colorado website designer could not be compelled to create wedding websites for LGBTQ+ couples. The ruling, which was relatively narrow, determined the website designer was creating customized speech and was protected on First Amendment grounds.

In her claims, Gieger argued that Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act is unconstitional, after pushback over a social media post in which she said that Studio 8 would only serve people who identify as male or female. The next step for the Studio 8 case will be awaiting a hearing before an administrative law judge. The MDCR’s charge requests that Geiger pay the claimants for emotional distress and “mental anguish” her posts caused. If decided after a hearing, Studio 8 and Geiger could have state licensing certifications revoked based on violation of ELCRA. “Under the Elliott Larsen Civil Rights Act, there are protections against retaliation for participating in a protected activity, such as filing an unlawful discrimination complaint with our department,” Trevino said.

Geiger said she has received support from her existing clients, but has also faced a barrage of angry messages, including threatening ones. Supreme Court ruling allowing a Christian web developer in Denver to refuse designing wedding websites for same-sex couples. While she agreed with the ruling, she stated that her comments stemmed from personal experiences and her objection to schools and doctor's offices addressing gender identification matters with children. It does note that there could be civil action against someone who discriminates against another for gender identity or expression, though this could apply to both transgender and cisgender people alike. Cisgender is a term to describe a person whose gender aligns with the sex they were registered as at birth.

Some residents say the city’s cheery exterior masks racial and cultural divides similar to those elsewhere in the U.S. In a statement, Traverse City officials expressed their disappointment after receiving multiple complaints regarding Geiger's discriminatory language. “We are likely going to see more attempts to try and use that decision and religious beliefs to justify discrimination in non-religious activity,” he says. A friend of Christine Geiger, the owner of Studio 8, made a post on Facebook saying she supports Geiger for standing up for what she believes in.

Christine Geiger, identified as a co-owner of the salon on LinkedIn, said in a Facebook comment reviewed by USA TODAY that she has "no issues" with lesbian, gay and bisexual people. Supreme Court’s June 30 ruling that a Christian graphic artist who wants to design wedding websites can refuse to work with same-sex couples, although she agreed with the decision. Screenshots of the Facebook post circulated on social media showed a division of opinions — some expressed disapproval while others defended Geiger, citing freedom of speech. Attorney Michael Naughton of North Coast Legal, who represents all three individuals, declined to comment. City Attorney Lauren Trible-Laucht notes that Studio 8’s legal team has agreed to extend the deadline for defendants to respond until December 1, with the city now working toward filing a response.

“Following the hearing, the judge will provide a recommendation as to whether discrimination took place and if so, what the appropriate penalty should be,” the state said. There has, however, been repeated misinformation regarding HB 4474, which is a bill seeking to expand Michigan’s hate crime laws to include protections for a host of classes including gay and transgender individuals. The salon's announcement and subsequent backlash come after the Supreme Court's ruling at the end of June that businesses could refuse to serve LGBTQ+ clients. The court ruled 6-3 that a wedding website's owner could deny services to gay couples. In their suit, Studio 8 challenges the constitutionality of the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on sex, gender or race.

Trible-Laucht otherwise declined to comment on the case, citing the ongoing nature of the litigation. The case is before Judge Kevin Elsenheimer, though no hearings have yet been set. Supreme Court decision in the 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, in which a Colorado-based web designer argued her state’s anti-discrimination law would compel her to create wedding websites for same sex-couples – something she disagreed with, citing her faith.

While some argued that the private business should operate as it sees fit, others urged the community to refrain from seeking hair care services at Studio 8 Hair Lab. In the original Facebook post, Geiger inaccurately referenced House Bill 4744 while expressing the salon's refusal to acknowledge preferred pronouns. Hair product manufacturer Jack Winn Pro publicly distanced itself from Geiger's remarks, while expressing its unwavering support for LGBTQ+ rights. The Civil Rights Department says this case is not about free speech because Studio 8 violated the Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights act. The act prevents discrimination based on religion, race or color, and the department says Geiger advertised unlawful discrimination. Back in July, the owner of Studio 8 Hair Lab, Christine Geiger, posted on Facebook that anyone who identifies other than male or female needs to get serviced at a pet groomer.