Christian Healthcare Centers v. Nessel

Michigan’s civil rights law, which state courts recently reinterpreted to include sexual orientation and gender identity, now requires religious organizations like Christian Healthcare Centers to hire people who do not share their faith, to prescribe cross-sex hormones to facilitate efforts to alter a patient’s biological sex, and to use pronouns that do not accord with a person’s biological sex. All of this violates Christian Healthcare Centers’ religious beliefs and undermines its ability to provide safe healthcare to the needy and the rest of the community.

Case Timeline

• July 2022: The Michigan Supreme Court ruled that “discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation necessarily involves discrimination because of sex.” A lower state court had already ruled that “sex” includes gender identity.
• August 2022: ADF attorneys representing Christian Healthcare Centers filed a lawsuit against Michigan.
• March 2023: A federal court ruled that Christian Healthcare Centers lacked standing to challenge Michigan’s law.
• May 2023: Michigan governor signs legislation codifying the addition of sexual orientation and gender identity to Michigan civil rights law.
• August 2023: ADF attorneys filed a notice of appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit.
• September 2024: The 6th Circuit allowed Christian Healthcare Centers’ case to continue, remanding it to the lower court for further proceedings.