LANSING, Mich. — When Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed the expansion of the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act on Thursday, which included legal protections for the LGBTQ+ community, many people at the Urban Beat in Old Town stood on their feet and cheered.
Erin Knott was one of them.
“I saw my really good friend Lauri Pohutsky, State Rep. Lauri Pohutsky, and she was crying and it suddenly hit me finally after all of this work this is happening. This is happening,” said Knott, who’s the executive director of Equality Michigan. “So, when I saw that she was emotional, I became emotional and listening to Mel Larsen speak and knowing the governor was coming up and it was just very very exciting.”
BREAKING: Gov Whitmer signs Elliott Larsen Civil Rights Act expansion, which now includes legal protection for the LGBTQ+ community. // @FOX17 pic.twitter.com/7s73Zx8XKk
— Lauren Edwards (@LaurenEdwardsTV) March 17, 2023
The Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act was enacted in 1976, which protected Michiganders from discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex and family status. It was introduced by Republican Mel Larsen and Democrat Daisy Elliott.
Larsen spoke at the event and said Elliott carried the bill around for years before she got a Republican to sign it, which later became Larsen.
“It took us four years, four more years to get that bill passed. So, it’s never an easy task,” Larsen said at the podium. “It’s never an easy task and for all of us sitting in this room, the biggest, best thing I can say to you is we’re on this earth to move the pendulum a little bit in our lifetime.”
Standing ovation as Mel Larsen spoke. He’s one of the authors behind the Elliott Larsen Civil Rights Act. // @FOX17 pic.twitter.com/1MpJ8hVufE
— Lauren Edwards (@LaurenEdwardsTV) March 16, 2023
State Senator Jeremy Moss said 1984 was the first year a lawmaker tried to get ELCRA expanded. Moss has since authored the current bill, and said, throughout the last several years, he’s tried to reintroduce legislation term after term but was unsuccessful.
Then, on March 8, the House passed the Senate bill, which expanded it to include sexual orientation and identity. Moss and other LGBTQ+ lawmakers were there Thursday.
READ MORE: WATCH: Gov. Whitmer signs bill expanding protections to LGBTQ+ members
“As I said in my floor speech, I’m the first openly gay person of color to serve in the Michigan Legislature,” said Rep. Jason Hoskins as the crowd cheered. “And when I was coming up and working in politics, I didn’t know that you can be Black and openly gay and an elected official all at the same time because that’s what discrimination does. It robs you of your dignity, makes you feel less worthy. Makes you feel like you’re not worthy of living your dreams. And, sometimes at worst, makes you feel like you’re not worthy to live.”
Thursday, Governor Whitmer, sat at the table at Urban Beat surrounded by Moss, Hoskins and Knott, and signed the bill.
She added that it was personal for her because her daughter is part of the LGBTQ+ community.
“In other words, it ensures that no one can be fired from their job or evicted from their home because of who they are or who they love. Michigan is a state where we stand up for people’s fundamental freedoms,” Whitmer said. “We proved it over and over again these last few months, where it’s your freedom to make your own decisions about your body, your freedom to go to school and no worry about a mass shooting, your freedom to be who you are, love who you love and Michigan will always, always fight to protect that freedom to start a family, to be safe, and to live in this state with respect and dignity. This day has been long time in coming. You could say, to quote one of our own Detroit native Lizzo, it is about damn time.”
