In light of the recent wins in Howell and Portage, Michigan, respectively, we thought it important to provide an updated list of jurisdictions offering basic human rights protections from discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodation on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in their area. Collectively, these ordinances cover just shy of 2.2 million residents out of an estimated 9.9 million Michiganders, leaving the vast majority of Michigan residents without these invaluable human rights protections in the majority of the state. Clearly, this is not acceptable and illustrates how much more there is to do. It also demonstrates an irrefutable need to amend the state's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act so that it includes protections on the basis of gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation in housing, education, employment, and public accommodations.
Until that battle is won, we'll continue to partner with colleague organizations, activists, advocates, and politicians around the state to fight the good fight on the state and local level to increase the number of LGBTQ individuals that have legal recourse from discrimination regardless of how they love, how they identify, or how they express their gender. In the meantime, as we close out this year's bittersweet Gay Pride Month, we celebrate those cities, villages, townships, and other jurisdictions that recognize that love is love, LGBTQ equality is an achievable goal, and that there really should be no place for hate in our state.
A comprehensive listing of where LGBT people have legal protections in 2016, both partial and comprehensive, will follow after the jump.
June 30, 2016