Michigan

Michigan Case Brings Victory For Religious Freedom And Transgender Rights

A federal appeals court today issued a welcome decision in EEOC v. Harris Funeral Homes. The case involves a funeral home in Michigan whose owner fired an employee, Aimee Stephens, when she came out as transgender and announced that she would begin to wear women’s clothing. The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sued the business for unlawful employment discrimination.

Michigan Law Allowing State-Contracted Foster Care Organizations To Use Religion As Excuse To Turn Away Families Challenged In Court

Religious freedom is about fairness. It’s not fair to the children who will remain in foster care longer when state contractors use religion to reject qualified families who want to provide safe, loving homes.

AU And Allies: Michigan Funeral Home Can’t Use Religion To Justify Discrimination Against Transgender Employee

Americans United and our allies—76 faith leaders and 13 religious and civil-rights organizations—filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in support of a transgender woman who was fired because of her boss's religious beliefs about gender identity.

A Religious Right To Discriminate?: Court Adopts Troubling Interpretation Of Religious Freedom Law

A federal court has ruled that a funeral home had a “religious freedom” right under RFRA to fire a transgender employee. AU Litigation Fellow Bradley Girard dissects this disturbing ruling.

Lawsuit Filed Against Michigan Catholic Healthcare System

Our friends at the ACLU have filed a lawsuit against a Catholic healthcare system which has prioritized religion over the reproductive healthcare of their female patients.

Faith 2 Action's Janet Porter Calls for Rehearing of Marriage Equality Case, Demands Help From Attorneys General

In an e-mail that's as abusive to the eyes as it is to the intellect, Faith 2 Action's Janet Porter has called upon the attorneys general of Ohio, Michigan, Tennessee, and Kentucky to join her motion to "Rehear Obergefell v. Hodges" before the Supreme Court (minus Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan, who must recuse themselves for performing marriages for same-sex couples).