Michigan finds hair salon owner violated the law by directing trans people to pet groomers

Michigan officials say a hair salon owner who told transgender customers to go to pet groomers cannot turn them away.The Michigan Civil Rights Commission said on July 27 that Studio 8 Hair Lab violated the state’s civil rights laws when owner Christine Geiger posted on social media that the business would not serve people who did not identify as either a man or a woman. Geiger made national news in 2023 after posting the discriminatory message on Facebook, making clear that transgender clients would not be served. “If a human identifies as anything other than a man/woman, please seek services at a local pet groomer,” Geiger wrote. “You are not welcome at this salon. Period.”The commission ordered the post and similar messages removed in July, finding that they violated the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, which was expanded in 2023 to prohibit discrimination based on gender identity or expression.Related: Michigan Salon Owner Refuses to Serve LGBTQ+ Community Because of ‘Pedophiles’ Officials said it was also the first time the law had been applied to social media posts, setting a precedent for businesses that publicly announce an intention to discriminate.“As the first ruling to be issued in Michigan directly related to discriminatory advertising under the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, this decision establishes meaningful guidance for businesses, individuals, and future cases,” said Michigan Department of Civil Rights Executive Director John E. Johnson, Jr.“It reinforces that the protections guaranteed under Michigan law extend to the ways businesses communicate with and serve the public, helping ensure those protections are applied consistently across evolving forms of public engagement.”The state received more than 20 initial complaints. Three individuals — M. Harris, L. Maynard and H. Spooner — filed a lawsuit in Michigan state court, but the case was dismissed. That decision is being appealed. The three also pursued a certified comp