 Dear Friend,
Happy Pride Month! On Sunday, I was excited to march in the Motor City Pride parade in downtown Detroit and proud to join in supporting Michigan's LGBTQ+ community.
Every June, we come together to celebrate the rich history, vibrant culture, and unwavering courage of Michigan’s LGBTQ+ community. Every person, no matter who they love or how they identify, deserves to feel safe, valued, and supported—every single day.
I want you to know that I see you, I stand with you, and I will always have your back. I’ll never stop fighting for your right to live as your full, authentic self—right here in Michigan. This issue is personal for me, and my administration remains committed to building a more inclusive and welcoming Michigan.
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Right now, the LGBTQ+ community, especially our trans community, is under attack. You can bet that I’ll fight like hell for everyone’s right to be who they are and love who they want. While other states and the federal government go backward in this fight, we’re going to keep moving forward.
Here in Michigan, fundamental rights & freedoms aren’t up for debate. Happy Pride!
Sincerely,
 Gretchen Whitmer
Governor
 Protecting the LGBTQ+ Community in Michigan
Throughout my time in office, we’ve made great strides to protect LGBTQ+ rights. I was proud to sign legislation that expanded the Elliott-Larson Civil Rights Act to include sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. This ensures that no one can be fired from their job or evicted from their home because of who they are or how they identify.
We’re protecting our LGBTQ+ youth as well. Thanks to my partners in the Michigan Legislature, I was able to sign legislation that banned the horrific practice of conversion therapy, taking another big step in making Michigan a more welcoming and inclusive place.
Last year, I signed the Michigan Family Protection Act which repealed our ban on surrogacy and protects IVF in our state. This act also ensures that LGBTQ+ families are treated equally when starting a family by eliminating the need to go through a costly and invasive process to get documentation confirming their parental status. Even if they move to a state that does not respect these basic rights, this legislation helps ensure they cannot be denied their relationship with their child.
Finally, at the end of last year, my partners in the Michigan Legislature passed legislation I was proud to sign that removes unnecessary and complex red tape by streamlining the process for Michiganders to change their legal name. House Bills 5300 and 5303 support folks changing their name for many reasons—including gender affirmation—by creating a presumption of good cause and eliminating the outdated, dangerous requirement to publish name changes in local newspapers.
LGBTQ+ Commission
In 2023 during Motor City Pride, I signed an executive order to establish the first-ever Michigan LGBTQ+ Commission, focused on protecting the health, safety, and well-being of Michigan’s LGBTQ+ community; promoting LGBTQ+ culture, history, and economic contributions to Michigan; and looking for ways to attract potential future Michigan residents who are members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Through the commission’s open public meetings and listening sessions over the past two years, they have worked to develop policies and initiatives that best reflect the needs and aspirations of LGBTQ+ Michiganders that they will continue to advocate for.
For more information on what the LGBTQ+ Commission is up to, please visit their website or subscribe to their monthly newsletter.
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