Cities and local governments have adopted LGBTQ-inclusive laws, policies and services. LGBTQ laws are considered at the state levelaccording to a recent report from the Human Rights Campaign.
What’s New: of the organization Annual Local Government Equality Indexevaluates city laws, policies, and services based on the extent to which they include LGBTQ residents and city officials. The survey saw an increase in the number of cities with perfect scores, setting the highest ever national average since the first index in 2012.
Important things to know: According to Kate Oakley, state legislative director and senior adviser to the HRC, the index assesses cities on the comprehensiveness of policies under municipal control, but also on the atmosphere and quality of life of LGBTQ residents. It does not evaluate cities based on
Big picture: Despite many states considering or passing anti-LGBTQ laws, book ban in school,Ban Gender-affirming care for transgender youth and restrictions Discussion of LGBTQ topics In elementary school classrooms, many local leaders are taking steps to support the rights of LGBTQ residents and city employees.
Local governments are becoming consistently LGBTQ-inclusive in their laws and policies
In its report, the MEI identified more than 500 cities, including the 50 state capitals, the 200 largest U.S. cities, the 5 largest cities or municipalities in each state, and the cities that are home to the state’s 2 largest public universities. I rated it. Her 2022 scorecard evaluates local governments based on criteria such as antidiscrimination laws, how inclusive the city is of LGBTQ people as employers, and city leaders’ track record on LGBTQ equality. .
According to HRC, 2022 showed a record number of 120 cities with the highest score of 100, up from 11 in the initial index in 2012. Oakley said the national city score average rose to a record 68 points. The national average score has risen for his fifth year in a row, while the organization has strengthened its credit standards in key areas.
almost any city Out of 100 points It reported hate crime statistics to the FBI, had city executives and LGBTQ+ liaisons, and had contractor non-discrimination policies that included gender identity.
Scoring high points at the MEI doesn’t happen overnight. According to Oakley, city leaders have spent years building LGBTQ equality in city policies, earning high scores on the index’s criteria.
“These cities are really doing the most on their own,” she said. ..these cities have invested over time.”
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Some cities in states without antidiscrimination laws are closing protection gaps
data Compiled by the American Civil Liberties Union shows more than 200 anti-LGBTQ bills introduced in the state legislature in 2022. Legislative waves have the greatest impact on young people. The highest proportion of generations identify as LGBTQ.
Despite this rise, the report found that 80 cities in 20 US states that do not have antidiscrimination laws that explicitly protect sexuality and gender identity scored 85 points or more on the index. This is up from 74 municipalities in 2021 and just 5 municipalities in 2012.
Oakley said the cities are filling state protection gaps with non-discriminatory transgender comprehensive health benefits for city employees and municipal legislation on LGBTQ comprehensive services for residents.
“To truly reveal how absurd the claims being made in these truly gerrymandered state legislatures are, because those responsible for responding to their communities are going in a completely different direction, it is a national I think it’s important on a level,” she said.
By listening to the personal needs of community members, many of the high-scoring cities in this year’s index have successfully thwarted divisive rhetoric at the state level, Oakley said. That’s it.
“I think we can see how cities can avoid discomfort because of personal connections…these local politicians have a sense of place, a sense of community, and a sense of who we are. ,” she said. “I think when the city focuses on what makes us special, it moves away from this idea of dividing people.”
