A Michigan hair salon owner has vowed to ban some members of the LGBTQ community from her business.
The Kansas City Star reported that in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling giving businesses new grounds to discriminate, the owner Studio 8 Hair Lab, Christine Geiger, said in a Facebook post
If a human identifies as anything other than a man/woman please seek services at a local pet groomer. You are not welcome at this salon. Period.
Should you request to have a particular pronoun used please note we may simply refer to you as
‘hey you.’”
She later deleted her entire Facebook page and put her business’ Instagram on “private”, but she doubled-down in another comment on Facebook saying,
I am admitting that since I am not willing to play the pronoun game or cater to requests outside of what I perceive as normal.”
Geiger later told the AP her statements were NOT prompted by the SCOTUS, although she agreed with the decision and said that small business owners should be free to serve whomever they wish,
I just don’t want the woke dollar. … I’d rather not be as busy than to have to do services that I don’t agree with.”
Hair product manufacturer Jack Winn Pro publicly distanced itself from Geiger’s remarks,
It has come to our attention that disturbing comments have been attributed to one of our products users. We want to make it clear that we disapprove of and reject hate speech in any form. Such actions go against the very values we hold dear and strive to uphold.
The stylist who made those comments no longer has authorization to represent our brand or products.”
City attorney Lauren Trible-Laucht said she would investigate complaints against the salon. Traverse City’s 2010 ordinance bans discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
I just left my review of the Salon. Erin, I will be trying to file complaints to the BBB of Michigan and @GovWhitmer's office. So that all of their business licenses can be pulled based on Discriminatory behavior pursuant to MI HB 4744. pic.twitter.com/6zYmQaSeyd
— Jeffrey Lemberger (@Jefflemberger34) July 11, 2023
(via Detroit News, Detroit Free Press)
