Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has shared an open letter to Michigan healthcare providers and patients following an executive order from President Donald Trump that threatens to cut off federal funding to hospitals that provide gender-affirming care to minors.
Nessel says, “the availability of federal funding has no bearing on Michiganders’ right to seek and receive healthcare services without discrimination.”
“Michigan law expressly prohibits discrimination against individuals based on their membership in a protected class such as religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or marital status,” Nessel said.
Nessel continued, “Refusing healthcare services to a class of individuals based on their protected status, such as withholding the availability of services from transgender individuals based on their gender identity or their diagnosis of gender dysphoria, while offering such services to cisgender individuals, may constitute discrimination under Michigan law.” She tells patients to continue seeking healthcare as before.