Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s appearance at this year’s Motor City Pride wasn’t just for show. She came to announce Michigan’s new LGBTQ+ Advisory Commission, which she established by signing an executive order at the festival on Sunday.
The commission will operate within the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity to advise Whitmer and the department director on policies that impact the LGBTQ+ community. It will look for ways to eradicate discrimination against the queer community and promote LGBTQ+ culture, history, and economic contributions.
The newly-created group is the first-ever statewide LGBTQ+ Commission, and its members will be made up of representatives from the state’s executive branch alongside representatives from the community. This could include educators, parents of LGBTQ+ children, and social workers, mental health, or medical professionals who regularly provide care to queer patients.
Whitmer vowed to fight like hell for diversity and inclusion in the state.
“As we celebrate Pride, we must continue taking action to ensure that everyone has the freedom to be who they are in Michigan,” Whiter said in a statement. “That’s why I am establishing the LGBTQ+ Commission to focus on health, safety, economic opportunity, and talent retention for the LGBTQ+ community. This issue is personal for me, and I will fight like hell to bring more diverse voices into the decision-making process so we can build a brighter future for every Michigander. While other states are engaged in the business of bigotry, Michigan is standing up for the LGBTQ+ community.”
According to the executive order, 74% of LGBTQ+ youth reported experiencing discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity in 2023, and almost half considered suicide in the past year.
Whitmer was joined by Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II and Attorney General Dana Nessel for the Pride announcement. Nessel is one of the first openly lesbian women to become elected to attorney general in a U.S. state, and rose to prominence representing the plaintiffs in DeBoer v. Snyder, which challenged Michigan’s ban on same-sex couples adopting children and was consolidated with other cases that led to the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision to recognize same-sex marriage.
“This first-ever statewide LGBTQ+ Commission will work to end discrimination and inequality against LGBTQ+ Michiganders and attract members of the LGBTQ+ community to Michigan by ensuring our state is a safe place for everyone to thrive,” Gilchrist said. “Our vision for Michigan is expansive enough for everyone, and Governor Whitmer and I will continue using every tool in our toolbox to build a Michigan where everyone can envision a bright future for themselves.”
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