Civil Rights Commission rules hair salon saying trans people should go to a pet groomer was illegal
The Michigan Civil Rights Commission ruled that the hair salon broke the law. (Image: Envato)
The Michigan Civil Rights Commission has ruled that a hair salon broke the law by saying that trans people should go to a pet groomer instead of visiting the salon.
In 2023, Studio 8 Hair Lab in Traverse City shared a post to Facebook saying that anyone who “identifies as anything other” than a man or woman was “not welcome” in the salon.
“If a human identifies as anything other than a man/woman please seek services at a local pet groomer,” owner Christine Geiger wrote. “You are not welcome at this salon. Period.”
She continued: “Should you request to have a particular pronoun used please not we may simply refer to you as ‘hey you’. Regardless of MI HB 4744. (Kiss my *SS Governor Witchmere.)”
Geiger presumably meant to type MI HB 4474, which was introduced in June 2023. The bill expanded Michigan’s hate crime laws to include sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability and age alongside race, religion, sex and national origin.
“This is America; free speech,” Geiger continued. “This small business has the right to refuse services. We are not bound to any oaths as realtors are regarding discrimination.”
Violation of the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act
On 27 July, the commission ruled that the studio violated the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, which protects people from unfair treatment and discrimination on the basis of protected characteristics.
According to UpNorthLive, more than 20 discrimination complaints were filed against Studio 8 Hair Lab for the comments, which formed the basis of the case.
The commission also found that the hair salon retaliated against three of the complaints filed with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights by counter-filing a civil lawsuit against them.
Following the ruling, Studio 8 Hair Lab and Geiger were ordered to immediately stop publishing discriminatory statements and cease retaliation against the complainants.
The salon was also ordered to remove the challenged Facebook posts, post statements online and at the premises saying that it will not refuse goods or services based on protected characteristics under state law, complete civil rights and anti-discrimination compliance training, and pay attorney fees and other costs relating to the lawsuit.
