In 2023, Christine Geiger, owner of Studio 8 Hair Lab in Traverse City, Michigan, posted a message on Facebook telling transgender customers they were not welcome at her salon and directing them to seek services at a pet groomer instead.

The post was not a private opinion, it was a public announcement of discriminatory intent by a licensed business.

On July 27, 2026, the Michigan Civil Rights Commission ruled that Studio 8 violated the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on gender identity or expression. It was the first time the law had been applied to social media posts.

But the ruling is only a beginning. Geiger's business also sued the three individuals who filed civil rights complaints against her, a move the commission itself called illegal retaliation. These three complainants, who simply asked to be treated with dignity, now face legal and financial burdens for speaking up.

The commission has ordered Studio 8 to remove the discriminatory posts, pay complainants' legal fees, complete civil rights training, and publicly commit to serving all customers equally. The case has also been referred to the Michigan Board of Cosmetology and the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.

Michigan law is clear: a business license does not come with the right to turn away customers based on who they are. Every person — regardless of gender identity — deserves to walk into a salon without being humiliated.

Sign this petition to demand that Michigan's licensing authorities hold Studio 8 Hair Lab fully accountable and ensure the commission's ruling is enforced.