Dana Nessel Moves to Dismiss Transphobic Salon Lawsuit, Chasten Buttigieg Slams Moms For Liberty Founders, Pride Source Wants to Share Your Pride Fest
Dana Nessel Seeks to Dismiss Lawsuit Filed by Transphobic Michigan Salon Owner
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, on behalf of the Michigan Department of Civil Rights (MDCR), filed a motion Feb. 20 to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Studio 8 Hair Lab, a Traverse City salon charged with transgender discrimination by the MDCR in November. According to the studio’s owner Christine Geiger claims in the Grand Traverse Circuit Court filing, the MDCR infringed on Geiger’s religious beliefs and right to free speech. Nessel argues the circuit court has no jurisdiction.
“Under Michigan law, religious freedoms are taken into consideration under the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act,” Nessel said in a statement. “Michigan’s recently enacted protections for the LGBTQ+ community will be enforced to the fullest extent as the constitution permits.”
Geiger’s latest lawsuit comes after she sued Traverse City and three residents who filed a complaint against Studio 8 in October, claiming they had violated her “sincerely held religious understanding that God created a man and a woman and that any other conception of a man and a woman violates God’s plan.” Geiger’s sincerely held beliefs apparently include the idea that transgender people should seek salon services at a “pet groomer,” according to the Facebook post at the center of the discrimination charge.
Michigan Democratic Party LGBT&A Caucus Announces Spring Meeting
As the nation careens toward a tumultuous 2024 election cycle, the Michigan Democratic Party (MDP) is hard at work preparing for local elections and supporting the national party’s efforts to reelect President Biden. It’s “all hands on deck” season at the MDP’s LGBT&A Caucus under the leadership of Caucus Chair Roland Leggett, and that includes every like-minded Michigan voter.
Join the LGBT&A Caucus at its virtual spring meeting March 23 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. to learn about the candidate endorsement process, fundraising, participating in local campaigns and to share feedback with the caucus. “We’re looking forward to having a community conversation about how exactly we want to be doing this work moving forward,” Leggett told BTL recently — more on this wide-ranging interview in an upcoming issue. Register at facebook.com/TheLGBTACaucusoftheMDP.
Chasten Buttigieg Goes After Moms For Liberty
Michigan’s own Chasten Buttigieg took to X on March 3 to leave a pointed comment about a recent “60 Minutes” interview with Moms For Liberty co-founders Tiffany Justice and Tina Descovich. During the segment, reporter Scott Pelley asked why the group consistently refers to LGBTQ+ community members as “groomers,” a term describing people who build trust to exploit or abuse victims, often used in the context of child sex abuse. Justice shuffled through printed notes before responding, “Parents want to partner with their children’s schools, but we do not co-parent with the government.” Say what?
Buttigieg, clearly unimpressed with the performance, shared the interview segment with a single, snarky comment: “They literally have to look at printed talking points.”
Lady Bunny Shades RuPaul
Never one to mince her words, Lady Bunny laid into RuPaul on Instagram, calling him out as a hypocrite and delivering the devastating line, “Mama Ru fracks, Mother Nature dies.” The post references an excerpt from RuPaul’s new memoir, “The House of Hidden Meanings” where he discusses building a bunker to protect himself from humans who are “in the cycle of destruction.” RuPaul’s husband George owns land in Wyoming that has been leased, in part, to oil companies for fracking and drilling.
Contribute to the Pride Source 2024 Pride Calendar and Map
Pride season is just around the corner and BTL is working overtime to get the word out about every festival in Michigan, from the Upper Peninsula to the shores of Lake Michigan to our publication’s Southeast Michigan home. Email Managing Editor Sarah Bricker Hunt at [email protected] with details about festivals planned in your local area and we’ll include them on our 2024 Pride Calendar and interactive online map.
The Eras Tour Debuts on Disney+
Are you ready for it, Gaylors? Reigning pop queen Taylor Swift’s massive Eras Tour makes its Disney+ debut sooner than initially expected, hitting the streamer at 9 p.m. EST March 14 with the premiere of several bonus songs, including “Cardigan.” Swift performed for two nights in Detroit during June Pride Month. Editorial Director Chris Azzopardi was on the scene to review the show and wrote that “Taylor Swift makes a strong case for gay icon status.”
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