A Michigan hair salon is facing a discrimination charge over a now-deleted social media post stating that customers who believe they are “transgender” are not welcome and should “seek services at a local pet groomer.”
In July, Townhall reported how Studio 8 Hair Lab refused to serve patrons with “preferred pronouns,” according to The Kansas City Star.
“If a human identifies as anything other than a man/woman, please seek services at a local pet groomer,” the hair salon owner, Christine Geiger, said in the post. “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,’” the post continued. “This small business has the right to refuse services. We are not bound to any oaths as realtors are regarding discrimination.”
Michigan hair salon BANS non-binary people & anyone who uses pronouns from using the salon- telling them to visit the pet groomers instead.
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) July 12, 2023
‘If a human identifies as anything other than a man/woman please seek services at a local pet groomer.’
Do you agree or disagree? ⬇️🐶 pic.twitter.com/mNMHaQJVmW
On Wednesday, the state’s Department of Civil Rights claimed that the post violated the state’s civil rights act by discriminating against three claimants, according to the New York Post:
Salon 8 Hair Lab could face fines and suspension or revocation of its business license if the charge is adopted by the Michigan Civil Rights Commission after a hearing before an administrative law judge.
The salon owner filed her own complaint against the city of Traverse City and the three individuals on Oct. 25, accusing each of violating the salon’s First Amendment rights for filing civil rights complaints.
Traverse City over the summer announced the salon was under investigation for discrimination over the claims.
Discrimination charge filed against Michigan hair salon that told trans clients to ‘seek services at local pet groomer’ https://t.co/rLTgRPMWuL pic.twitter.com/4nh8s4Iz9N
— New York Post (@nypost) November 15, 2023
Reportedly, Geiger posted that she has “no issues with LGB,” which are lesbian, gay, and bisexual people.
“It’s the TQ+ that I’m not going to support,” she added, referring to transgender people.
In an interview with the Associated Press, she reportedly said that she does not “want the woke dollar.”
“I’d rather not be as busy than to have to do services that I don’t agree with,” she reportedly said.