Therapy practice booted by building because of sex

HUNTINGTON WOODS, Mich. (WJBK) - A typical medical building in Huntington Woods treats sleep disorders, arthritis and kids - but not sex.

"We work with sexual pleasure, people that have had cancer, prostate cancer that want to have better sex lives after surgery, those kinds of things," said Joe Kort, sex therapist.

But when Joe wanted to expand his business "The Center for Relationship and Sexual Health" he needed a larger space, and a building on Woodward, looked like the perfect spot.  

But apparently the word "sexual health" bothered some of the tenets, who were contacted, but refused to go on camera.  

"I was willing to say, okay let's not put it on the door let's not put it on the building but I absolutely required it to be in the directory," Kort said. "They said no because they felt sexual offenders would be in the building."

Kort and his 13 sex therapists don't treat sex offenders. What Joe really thinks is that the tenants are hung up on the word sex.

"One of the suggestions was to change our practice to the Center for Relationship Health, and I was unwilling to do it," Kort said.

At Noir leather in Royal Oak, they do have a fairly liberal attitude towards sex.

FOX 2: "Are we hung up on sex?"

"We are, if we weren't hung up we will be much more comfortable with it," said an employee. "I think sexual oppression is a major cause and source of many conflicts and problems in our society today," said one customer.

So can Kort bring a lawsuit based on sex discrimination?

"This particular case, on its face looks like it might regard to sex, but it doesn't," said Jennifer Lord, sex discrimination attorney.

There probably won't be a lawsuit. Landlords can rent to anyone they want as long as they're not denied based on age, race, religion or sex - but not this kind of sex.

"People deserve sexual health and to be free from sexual shame," Kort said. "Look at the media and the Me Too movement. If we don't arm women, little girls and teenagers to be able to say no, that is part of sexual health."

FOX 2: "If the landlord doesn't like sex, he doesn't have to rent to this guy?"

"Just like he doesn't have to rent to a dentist," Lord said.