GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — In a landmark decision by the Michigan Supreme Court in July, the state's anti-discrimination law was interpreted to cover sexual orientation.
The court, in a 5-2 opinion, said the word “sex” in Michigan's key civil rights law applies to sexual orientation and not just gender.
Now, a Christian based non-profit healthcare provider is filing a religious discrimination lawsuit against Michigan Attorney General, Dana Nessel.
The Grand Rapids based healthcare provider, Christian Healthcare Centers, filed the federal lawsuit Monday saying the state's anti-discrimination law violates the organization's religious beliefs.
"This law now requires Christian Healthcare Centers to hire people who do not share their faith, to prescribe cross-sex hormones to facilitate efforts to alter a patient’s biological sex, and to use pronouns that do not accord with a person’s biological sex," attorneys from the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) said in a release. "All of this violates the ministry’s religious beliefs and undermines its ability to provide safe healthcare to the needy and the rest of the community."
The lawsuit takes aim at Nessel because ADF says that it is her and other Michigan officials who are responsible for enforcing Michigan’s civil rights law.
"We named the Attorney General of Michigan as a defendant in her official capacity. Because in her office, she has the authority to enforce Michigan's Public Accommodations law. We also named as defendants, members of the Civil Rights Commission who also have authority to enforce the law all in their official capacity," said Hal Frampton, Senior Counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom.
ADF is representing Christian Healthcare Centers in the case.
After the Michigan Supreme Court's Roush World decision, this lawsuit is thought to have been the first of its kind and could set precedent in regards to the rights of religious organizations operations.
"We think it's going to be setting precedent as far as we know, what's the first lawsuit like this after the Roush world decision? And so we're, we're hoping that this gets the issue in front of the federal courts and allows them to vindicate the constitutional rights of religious organizations to operate in accordance with their faith," Frampton said.
The Department of the Attorney General provided the following statement when reached for comment regarding the lawsuit:
"The Department of Attorney General is reviewing the lawsuit."
Christian Healthcare Centers provides healthcare to the community and offers reduced prices to low income patients. The organization has clinics in Plainfield Charter Township and Newaygo.
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