Cities and municipalities are adopting more LGBTQ-inclusive laws, policies and services even as more LGBTQ legislation is considered at the state level, according to a recent report by the Human Rights Campaign.
What’s new: the organization Annual Municipal Equality Indexwhich rates cities’ laws, policies and municipal services based on how inclusive they are for LGBTQ residents and city workers, saw an increase in the number of cities receiving perfect scores and the highest national average since the index inaugural 2012.
Important to know: While the index assesses each city on the inclusion of policies under municipal control, it does not rank cities based on the environment or quality of life for LGBTQ residents, according to Kate Oakley, state legislative director and HRC senior adviser.
The panorama: Despite many states considering or passing anti-LGBTQ legislation that includes bans on books in schools, bans on gender-affirming care for transgender youth, and restrictions on discussion of LGBTQ issues in elementary school classrooms , many local leaders are taking action to support the rights of LGBTQ residents and city workers.
Increasingly LGBTQ-inclusive municipalities in law and policy
The MEI ranked more than 500 cities in its report, including all 50 state capitals, the 200 largest cities in the US, the five largest cities or municipalities in each state, and the cities home to the two largest public universities. greats of the state Its 2022 scorecard rates municipalities based on nondiscrimination laws, how LGBTQ-inclusive the city is as an employer, and the city’s record of leadership on LGBTQ equality, among other criteria.
A record number of 120 cities earned the highest score of 100 in 2022, up from 11 in the inaugural 2012 index, according to HRC. The city’s national average score rose to an all-time high of 68 points — the fifth consecutive year of increases in the national average, all while the organization has tightened credit standards in key areas, Oakley said.
almost all cities with scores out of 100 reported hate crime statistics to the FBI, has an LGBTQ+ liaison to the city executive, and had contractor non-discrimination policies, including gender identity.
Receiving high points on the MEI does not happen overnight. City leaders have often spent years building LGBTQ equality into city policies to score high on the index criteria, according to Oakley.
“These are cities that are really doing more for themselves,” he said. “These cities have really stepped out and shown commitment year after year… these cities have invested over time.”
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Some cities in states without anti-discrimination laws fill protection gaps
Data compiled by the American Civil Liberties Union shows that more than 200 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced in state legislatures by 2022. The wave of legislation impacts youth most significantly, who identify as LGBTQ at the highest generational rates.
Despite this increase, 80 cities in 20 US states that lack anti-discrimination statutes that explicitly protect sexuality and gender identity scored more than 85 points on the index, up from 74 municipalities in 2021 and only five in 2012, according to the report.
These cities are filling the gaps in state protections with municipal legislation on nondiscrimination, trans-inclusive health benefits for city employees and LGBTQ-inclusive services for residents, Oakley said.
“I think it’s important on a national level to shine a light on how absurd are the claims being made in these really rigged state legislatures, because the people responsible for responding to their communities have gone in a completely different direction.” she said.
Many of the cities that received high scores on this year’s index made progress in blocking divisive rhetoric at the state level by listening to the personal needs of their community members, according to Oakley.
“I think we can see cities that are able to elude evil, because of those personal connections…these local politicians have a sense of place, they have a sense of community, they have a sense of what makes us special.” ,” she said. “I think when cities focus on what makes us special, they move away from this idea of dividing people.”