Both the lawsuit and legislation seek to update gender markers on state identification. Imagine having to share the deepest of personal information about yourself — information that could subject you to discrimination, violence or worse — every time you wanted to cash a check. Imagine being challenged every time you pull out your state-issued identification because you look like a […]

June 24 event in Auburn Hills is open to the public — RSVP today to learn how to protect your rights. The ACLU of Michigan is hosting an educational event to help the community understand their rights at religiously sponsored hospitals. The June 24th event in Auburn Hills focuses on patients’ rights in hospitals operated by Catholic healthcare providers. As […]

A “yes” vote in the Senate is all that stands between these RFRA-type bills and Governor Snyder’s signature.

If it becomes law, any healthcare provider or payer could turn away any patient based on personal or organizational beliefs. With so much work to be done to make Michigan a better place to work and live, you’d think legislators would have more important things to do than enact laws that are nothing more than a license to discriminate using […]

Catholic health systems aren’t always held to the same medical standards as secular hospitals. This is the third post in an ongoing series. You can read the other installments HERE. When you go to a hospital, you have a reasonable expectation that you’ll receive the care you need — whoever you are, whatever your circumstances. After all, there’s a reason […]

If past experience is any indication, some healthcare services will no longer be available. This is the second in a multi-part series on the rise of Catholic health systems and the impact on patient care. You can read the first post in the series HERE. Refusal to treat patients on religious grounds in Michigan has made national news recently, with […]

Religious doctrine can trump medical standards and interfere with patients’ rights to make their own decisions. If you want to be sure you and the people you love have access to the complete spectrum of healthcare services, you’d better know who owns your hospital. It’s not always obvious, but it’s important. Because one in six hospital beds in the United […]

In one day, it passed out of committee and is up for a House vote. Despite what the bill’s proponents claim, the RFRA would enshrine discrimination on religious grounds into state law. UPDATED following House vote. There’s still time to take action. See below. It’s happening even faster than we’d feared. Following a hearing, the Michigan House of Representatives House […]

Hearings set for Dec. 3 and 4 on two pieces of legislation critical to the LGBT community and beyond. Take action now. If you believe that every Michigander deserves equal protection under the law — with no exceptions — the time to be heard is now. The Michigan Legislature is holding hearings on two pieces of legislation this week that […]

We’ve had a great response to our call for sponsors for the Eclectablog 10-year “Blogaversary” party that’s happening on May 1st, 7-9 p.m. at the Arbor Brewing Company Microbrewery (formerly the Corner Brewery) in Ypsilanti. Here’s the latest list: GOLD LEVEL SPONSORS Michigan Democratic Party AFSCME SILVER LEVEL SPONSOR Michigan Nurses Association Michigan AFL-CIO BRONZE LEVEL SPONSOR Planned Parenthood Advocates […]

Politicians and special interest groups aren’t telling the whole truth about the law’s impact on women’s health. With the help of an OB/GYN, we set the record straight. People across the country are appalled by the new law passed by the Republican-led Michigan Legislature, based on a petition created by Right to Life of Michigan. The law prohibits all Michigan […]