Michigan's legislators won't protect LGBTQ people from discrimination. Now voters may do it.

A new ballot initiative would add nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people to Michigan’s state civil rights law. Activists and corporations pushing the initiative say they’ll take the issue to the voting booth since state legislators can’t get it done.

Major corporations, civil rights groups, and labor unions are joining together to push the initiative to the ballot if legislators don’t add
Related: Michigan’s attorney general just said it’s legal to discriminate against LGBTQ people.

Current law protects people from discrimination based on religion, race, national origin, height, weight, color, familial status, age, sex, or marital status. The initiative would re-define the word “sex” in the law to include sexual orientation and gender identity or expression.

The bipartisan effort to protect LGBTQ citizens has been met with roadblocks by Republicans in the state legislature.

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