“Gretchen Whitmer is the clear choice for Michiganders and the champion we need to move equality forward in the Great Lakes State,” said HRC Michigan State Director Amritha Venkataraman. “She’s dedicated her career to fighting for Michigan’s working families and ensuring that every Michigander -- no matter who they are -- has the same rights, liberties and opportunities. HRC is proud to endorse her candidacy for governor and we look forward to turning out Michigan’s 300,000 LGBTQ voters for her this November.”

“I'm ready to partner with the Human Rights Campaign and everyone who wants to build a better Michigan for everyone,” said Whitmer. “That starts with expanding the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to ban discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community, because nobody should lose their job or be evicted from their home because of who they are or who they love. That's how we'll attract a talented workforce and make Michigan a state where everyone has a path to a high wage job, has access to quality, affordable health care, and can travel our roads safely. Let's get it done."

As governor, Gretchen Whitmer will work tirelessly to address the issues of Michigan’s working families and be a stalwart champion for the LGBTQ community. As a state senator, she led the passage of an anti-bullying bill to protect Michigan’s LGBTQ youth, and fought to pass legislation that would provide benefits to same-sex partners of public employees in Michigan, prior to nationwide marriage equality. She sponsored legislation to expand Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to include protections on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, and has committed to prioritizing this legislation as governor. HRC has also endorsed Garlin Gilchrist for Lieutenant Governor who has a long history of supporting equality.

In the general election, Whitmer will face anti-LGBTQ extremist Bill Schuette. As Michigan Attorney General, Schuette filed suit to oppose protections for LGBTQ youth facing discrimination and bullying in schools, and supported a license to discriminate in mental health care. He also wasted millions of taxpayer dollars in a crusade to stop marriage equality, and recently chose to ignore consistent legal precedent in issuing a formal opinion denying that LGBTQ Michiganders are protected from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity under the state Civil Rights Act.

In Michigan, HRC has identified more than 1.1 million Michiganders as likely “Equality Voters” -- voters who support LGBTQ-inclusive policies. HRC has prioritized investments and organizing in Michigan in the 2018 cycle, and has staff and resources on the ground in the state as part of the largest grassroots expansion in the organization’s 38-year history.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work, and in every community.

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