The rise in anti-LGBTQ+ legislation across the country has led to a greater conversation about how lawmakers can protect the rights of LGBTQ+ community members in their states. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan took such a step at the 2023 Motor City Pride in Detroit by signing an executive order establishing Michigan’s LGBTQ+ Commission. In a statement, Whitmer echoed that her administration is taking steps to “ensure that everyone has the freedom to be who they are in Michigan.”
The LGBTQ+ Commission was established to focus on health, safety, economic opportunity, and talent retention for the LGBTQ+ community in Michigan. The Commission will support the governor and director of the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity in crafting policies that affect Michigan’s LGBTQ+ community. The Commission will also have the ability to review, develop, and recommend policies, actions, changes, or other suggestions to eliminate and avert discrimination against Michigan’s LGBTQ+ members. They will also take a particularly focused approach to protecting the health and safety of the LGBTQ+ community in Michigan, as well as in promoting the culture, history, and contributions of the LGBTQ+ community across the State.
Not only was the Commission established to protect and improve the well-being of Michigan’s LGBTQ+ community, but it also seeks to include members that reflect the State’s diverse groups. By appointing and including individuals from a diverse range of communities in Michigan, the Governor hopes that the Commission will attract future LGBTQ+-identifying residents for themselves and their families to thrive. Representatives from across the State extended their support and excitement towards the Governor for taking a step towards making LGBTQ+ individuals and their families feel protected in Michigan.
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