A bill passed by the Democrat-led Michigan state House last month which would make it a felony for people to intimidate or threaten others by disrespecting their gender identity—for example, by deliberately misgendering them—has sparked a controversy over whether the proposed law violates the First Amendment.
The measure, House Bill 4474, is included in a package of legislation that would replace Michigan’s existing Ethnic Intimidation Act. It would expand the existing law to cover sex, sexual orientation, age, gender identity or expression, and physical or mental disability.
Religion, ethnicity and race were already included in the previous legislation and will still be covered under the new law. The bill would make it a hate crime to cause someone to “feel terrorized, frightened, or threatened” with words—including by deliberately misgendering them.
[PROBABLY?! ~ Beege]
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