Michigan Rights Commission Rules Against Traverse City Hair Salon

A controversial hair salon in Traverse City has violated a new tenet of Michigan’s anti-discrimination law, which protects citizens against discriminatory advertising based on gender identity.

This goes all the way back to 2003, when the investigation began, meaning after three years, the Michigan Civil Rights Commission issued an opinion and order Monday, which found that Studio 8 Hair Lab had violated those rules by posting commentary that was viewed as discriminatory advertising against transgender people.

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They first came under fire after screenshots were taken from their Facebook page comparing non-binary people to animals:

If a human identifies as anything other than a man/woman, please seek services at a local pet groomer. You are not welcome at this salon. Period. Should you request to have a particular pronoun used, we may simply refer to you as "hey you." Regardless of *Michigan HB 4474 (Kiss my ASS, Governor Gretchen Witchmere [sic]. This is America. Free speech. This small business has the right to refuse service.

The Detroit News has now reported that the salon will have to remove the social media posts, among many other penalties, as they describe:

The order issued this week requires the salon owner to remove the social media posts; put up new, specific language affirming equal treatment; go through anti-discrimination training; and pay attorney fees and the complainants' costs.

I'm not sure why businesses choose to divide their potential clientele by going out of their way to be nasty towards any marginalized group. All it will do is hurt them financially and socially in the long run, which is what it's done here.