DETROIT — Today the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled that R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes unlawfully discriminated against Aimee Stephens when it fired her after she notified her employer that she would begin working openly as female because she is a transgender woman. The ruling affirms that transgender individuals are protected by federal sex discrimination laws, and that religious belief does not give employers the right to discriminate against them.

Amy Hunter, Coordinator of the ACLU Transgender Advocacy Project, today issued the following statement addressing the State of Michigan Board of Education Statement and Guidance on Safe and Supportive Learning Environments for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ) Students.

We strongly urge that the Michigan Department of Education adopt in full the draft guidelines from the State Board of Education and that local school districts statewide implement them.