Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s (D) office issued a contract proposal for a “Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) Consultant” to assist the administration's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) unit with “awareness, education and opportunities” for LGBTQIA+ and “two-spirit” youth and their families.
Documents obtained by the Washington Free Beacon show that on Sept. 12, Whitmer’s Children’s Services Agency issued the proposal to hire a “culturally competent” individual for the consultant position to work with the DEI. The consultant will distribute surveys to the LGBTQIA+ community and submit monthly reports on the results.
Once data is collected from the surveys, the consultant will “develop technical assistance packages” including books, videos, webinars, training materials, among other things, to teach about topics such as “implicit bias,” “stereotypes,” and “historical needs, laws and contributions of the LGBTQIA+ population.” The consultant will also be required to “provide support to LGBTQIA+ youth and families,” including access to transportation and education and identify a minimum of five community services for transgender youth in several of the state’s most populated counties.
The Free Beacon pointed out that this proposal from Whitmer’s administration comes after a federal judge scrutinized the state’s Children’s Services Agency after a “devastating” review highlighted major issues within its foster care system. Michigan’s child welfare system has reportedly been under federal court supervision since 2008 after a lawsuit alleged it was failing to protect foster children.
“In January's report, Michigan only met the required standards in 8 of 32 areas—the state, for example, failed both to keep an adequate percentage of siblings together who are placed in foster care at the same time and to 'make immediate efforts' to reunite siblings who are separated,” the Free Beacon reported.
Last month, Bridge Michigan noted that Michigan’s Department of Education this year issued training videos suggesting teachers not tell parents about children’s gender identity. In one of the videos from the Department, a trainer suggested that teachers can talk to a student’s parent about their mental health without telling the parents if the child’s sexual orientation or gender identity is a factor.