Michigan to Decrease Funding For Universities That Provide Same-Sex Benefits

In Michigan, you can fund your colleges or support your gay people, but you can’t do both. Or so says the Michigan House, which Thursday approved an amendment to the state education budget that would eliminate 5% of state funding to those schools that provide domestic partner benefits to the same-sex partner of university employees.

I know, I know. First Texas tries to weasel money away from campus LGBT support centers, now this. Because if there’s one thing conservatives hate more than education, it’s gay people!

That’s probably an unfair statement. But give me a break. It takes a major league ego to think that punishing schools that, you know, treat employees fairly, is a good idea.

Here’s the skinny: any college that provides the same-sex or unmarried partner of a university employee with benefits will automatically have its share of state funds decreased by 5%. Up to $60 million dollars from this money will be funneled to the K-12 budget.

Well, at least the money isn’t going to millionaires and their yachts. Or whatever millionaires buy in Michigan.

This education funding bill is now in a conference committee, where the house and senate bill will be combined, then it will go to an up or down vote in both houses.

I’ve done a lot of reading on bills like this: financial consequences for organizations that dare to treat LGBT people like human beings. Usually, this is done under some guise of fiscal responsibility. Indeed, state legislators in Michigan have tried to hide behind that before. But they can’t this time.

This doesn’t save the state any money. The money is just redirected. This amendment is punitive, only. How dare universities attract the best and brightest by offering a fair benefits package? How dare they treat gay and lesbian employees and their partners with the respect that straight people get every freaking day?

This amendment makes glaringly clear what was only pretty obvious in the past: that the government of Michigan will do anything to cement the second-class status of LGBT people.

Unless, that is, we make a ruckus. Please sign the petition requesting that the Michigan legislature and governor reject the bill with the amendment attached. Justice demands it.

Image credit: DJ Waldow