密歇根新闻广播 密歇根欲保护同性恋权益

 

In Michigan, you can be fired because you are gay. You can be denied housing in some instances. You can be denied service at a restaurant, a bar, a wedding cake baker¹. But that might be changing.

There's a bill in the state Legislature that would extend protections for LGBTQ folks under what's known as the Elliot Larsen Civil Rights Act.

Andi Owen is the CEO of the West Michigan furniture manufacturer Herman Miller².

The company has policies prohibiting discrimination against LGBTQ employees, but Owen says that's not enough. When interviewing prospective³ employees who are LGBTQ, Owen says that many ask about the lack of non-discrimination protections in Michigan.

"I can't guarantee that once that employee that comes to work at Herman Miller leaves, they have the same protections outside of the workplace," she said.

That makes it hard to attract the best and brightest to work at Herman Miller, Owen says. Having statewide civil rights protections for LGBTQ folks is both the right thing to do, she says, but it's also a smart business move.

If we are not inclusive, we will not be competitive, and we won't have the talent we need to move forward, Owen said.

Leon Drolet is a Republican Macomb County commissioner⁴. He's also gay. Drolet says while he supports the LGBTQ community generally, he doesn't believe legal protection from discrimination is necessary.

Drolet says it's extremely uncommon⁵ for employers or businesses to turn people away because of their sexual orientation⁶. While Drolet believes the government should “treat all citizens equally and neutrally, he says politicians should allow private businesses to make their own decisions.

The government should respect minority views. And minority views can include very unpopular views,” Drolet said.

This post was written by Stateside production assistant Anna Schlutt.

1 baker   

n.面包师

参考例句：

• The baker bakes his bread in the bakery.面包师在面包房内烤面包。
• The baker frosted the cake with a mixture of sugar and whites of eggs.面包师在蛋糕上撒了一层白糖和蛋清的混合料。

2 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

3 prospective   

adj.预期的，未来的，前瞻性的

参考例句：

• The story should act as a warning to other prospective buyers.这篇报道应该对其他潜在的购买者起到警示作用。
• They have all these great activities for prospective freshmen.这会举办各种各样的活动来招待未来的新人。

4 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

5 uncommon   

adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的

参考例句：

• Such attitudes were not at all uncommon thirty years ago.这些看法在30年前很常见。
• Phil has uncommon intelligence.菲尔智力超群。

6 orientation   

n.方向，目标；熟悉，适应，情况介绍

参考例句：

• Children need some orientation when they go to school.小孩子上学时需要适应。
• The traveller found his orientation with the aid of a good map.旅行者借助一幅好地图得知自己的方向。