Intentionally using the wrong gender pronouns could soon become a felony in Michigan, according to critics of a recently passed bill.
Passed by Michigan's state House of Representatives, HB 4474 criminalizes making someone feel threatened by words.
Offenders would be charged with a felony and face up to five years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine under the proposed legislation.
The text of the bill specifically mentions "gender identity or expression" and "sexual orientation" as protected classes and states that a person is guilty of a "hate crime" if they "maliciously and intentionally" threaten "by word or act" to "intimidate" someone for their real or perceived characteristics.
The legislation defines "intimidate" as "a willful course of conduct involving repeated or continuing harassment of another individual that would cause a reasonable individual to feel terrorized, frightened, or threatened, and that actually causes the victim to feel terrorized, frightened, or threatened."
"'Gender identity or expression' means having or being perceived as having a gender-related self-identity or expression whether or not associated with an individual's assigned sex at birth," according to the bill.
Critics of the measure accuse it of infringing on the First Amendment's free speech protections.
Professor emeritus William Wagner, a former federal judge and legal counsel in the U.S. Senate, told The Daily Wire, "Make no mistake about it: Those advocating for this legislation will wield these policies as a weapon capable of destroying conservative expression or viewpoints grounded in the sacred."
"One merely needs to look at the scores of cases brought against schools, churches, businesses, and individuals around our country," he said. "Proponents use these laws to silence and financially cripple those who dare to adhere to a different viewpoint and oppose their agenda."
Michigan GOP state Rep. Angela Rigas told the Wire that the bill specifically targets conservatives who oppose radical gender ideology.
"The state of Michigan is now explicitly allowing the gender delusion issue to be used as a 'protected class,' Rigas said. "This opens up numerous issues when it comes to the courts and the continued weaponization of the system against conservatives.
"We saw similar concerns when they wanted to pass blocks on 'conversion' therapy. It seems Dems want to be in the business of telling people how to think."
The bill passed the Democrat-controlled state House in a 59-50 vote and heads next to the Michigan state Senate for consideration.
If approved by that chamber, the bill will be sent to the desk of Democrat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who is expected to sign it into law.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.