Michigan governor
Jennifer Granholm has signed an executive order banning
discrimination in state employment based on gender identity
or expression, according to Michigan LGBT rights group
Triangle Foundation. The legislation applies to
the approximately 50,000 state employees in Michigan's
executive branch, which makes up 95% of all state
employees. The order will protect not only transgender
workers but also any state employee who faces
discrimination because he or she does not conform
to traditional gender norms in behavior or appearance.
Triangle
Foundation director of policy Sean Kosofsky said the move
sends the message that discrimination is not tolerated
in the state.
"We can only hope
that our national leaders, who are currently debating
whether or not to protect transgender workers in federal
law, will share our governor's vision," Kosofsky said
in the Triangle Foundation press release.
"This just shows
that the state of Michigan is moving in the right
direction in regard to state employees," Michelle
Fox-Phillips, executive director of Transgender
Detroit, said in the release. "Our sincere thanks to
Triangle Foundation for their hard work [on this issue]
over the years." (The Advocate)
