MEI-RATED CITIES In its inaugural year, the HRC’s Municipal Equality Index team evaluated 137 municipalities for LGBT-inclusive policies. This year, they will assess double the number of cities. In the first year, only 11 percent of the cities scored 100%.
11%
2012 2013
HOW DOES YOUR CITY RANK? In late 2012, HRC introduced a new index — the Municipal Equality Index — to help people see how their cities rank in terms of their inclusivity of LGBT people. The study, the first of its kind, examines the laws, policies and services of municipalities from every state in the country. The MEI rates cities based on 47 criteria falling under six broad categories: Non-discrimination laws Relationship recognition The municipality’s employment practices REBECCA ISAACS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, EQUALITY FEDERATION INSTITUTE
Inclusiveness of city services Law enforcement Municipal leadership
THE MUNICIPAL EQUALITY INDEX RECOGNIZES THE REMARKABLE PROGRESS THAT STATE EQUALITY GROUPS AND LOCAL PARTNERS HAVE MADE IN CITIES AND TOWNS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND IS A POWERFUL TOOL TO HELP PUSH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO DO BETTER.
THE 2013 MEI: EVEN LARGER The soon-to-be-released 2013 study rates nearly twice as many cities as in 2012: Three largest cities in each state Cities that are home to state’s largest public university All 50 state capitals
2013 ANNUAL REPORT
HRC.ORG
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