Toni Atkins explores the idea of running for governor, a salon in Michigan faces discrimination charge over anti-trans posts, and a library's lease is threatened by LGBTQ children books in Kansas.
Lesbian Senate Leader May Run For Governor
Toni Atkins, the first lesbian speaker of the California state Assembly and currently the president pro tempore of the state Senate, is exploring a potential race for governor, according to the Associated Press.
Atkins told the AP that she was “very interested in looking at that possibility” of joining the gubernatorial race after announcing that she would step down from her Senate position.
“I am looking at it seriously,” she said.
California has not yet elected a woman or an openly-LGBTQ individual to the governor’s office.
Salon Faces Discrimination Charge For Anti-Trans Posts
Christine Geige. Photo via Facebook.
After transphobic social media posts from the owner of a Traverse City hair salon, the Michigan Department of Civil Rights is charging her with discriminatory advertisement, according to The Detroit News.
In her posts, Salon 8 Hair Lab owner Christine Geiger stated that “LGB” people in the LGBTQ community were allowed but "the rest of it is not something I support."
She also wrote that if a person identifies outside of being a woman or man, that they should “seek services at a local pet groomer.”
The department cited the violation of state civil rights law, stating that it wasn’t shielded by free speech or religious freedom. Geiger has stated in court that her social media posts are protected speech.
Library’s Lease Threatened Over LGBTQ Books
Photo via Pexels.
According to Kansas Reflector, a public library in St. Mary’s, a Kansas City about 30 miles from Topeka, was able to renew their lease for another year after removing books for LGBTQ youth.
Library director Judith Cremer stated that this decision came to accommodate the city commission after threats to the library’s lease for over a year.
Cremer said that the adult section still retains some LGBTQ books, but there are likely none remaining in the junior section.
“I’m not real proud of that. … I feel bad because I think that there should be a variety of things for everybody, but like I say, we do have eight locations and I can get anything for anybody within about a day,” Cremer told Kansas Reflector. “So that’s a compromise I have to make.”
“I’m just trying to be realistic in the fact that we do have a precarious position here,” she continued.
