Philadelphia has again achieved a perfect score in the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index.
The national LGBT-rights organization releases the report each fall, ranking cities across the country based on the LGBT-inclusiveness of their municipal policies and programs. This year, Philadelphia is one of 60 municipalities to receive a perfect 100.
When the MEI launched in 2012, the City of Brotherly Love was among just 11 municipalities to achieve the top score; at that time, HRC employed a different type of ranking that included bonus points, and Philadelphia was the only city in the nation to achieve a perfect baseline score before bonus points.
“Philadelphia has been a leader in advancing LGBTQ rights at a local level, a fact reflected in its membership in this exceptional group of municipalities earning perfect scores every year since the inception of our Municipal Equality Index,” HRC president Chad Griffin said in a statement. “For the past five years, Philadelphia has stood up for its LGBTQ residents and municipal workers time and time again, serving as an inspiring example to other municipal, state and the federal governments on how to ensure full equality for all.”
Philadelphia was one of 22 cities to achieve a 100 despite being situated in a state that does not offer LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination protections. Eighty-seven cities in such states scored above 55, the nationwide average.
In Pennsylvania, the average score was 70. Philadelphia was the only city in the state to receive a 100; next in line was Allentown with a 95. The majority of the other cities all scored above the national average: Pittsburgh (93), New Hope (80), State College (72), Harrisburg (68), Reading (66) and Wilkes-Barre (62).
“Municipalities in Pennsylvania lead the way on equality for LGBT people in our state. Specifically, Pennsylvania now has 37 municipalities that protect LGBT people from discrimination,” Ted Martin, executive director of Equality PA, said in a statement.
The only cities to score under the national average in Pennsylvania were Erie (39) and Carlisle (2).
Despite the state’s success on the MEI, most Pennsylvania residents are still subject lawful LGBT discrimination, Martin noted.
“More than two-thirds of the LGBT population in Pennsylvania remains unprotected from discrimination in the workplace, in housing and in business and government services. We hope the state will follow the lead of municipalities and update our statewide laws to protect everyone from discrimination.”
The MEI rated 506 cities nationwide on nondiscrimination laws; municipal employment policies, including trans-inclusive health-care coverage and contracting nondiscrimination policies; inclusiveness of city services; inclusiveness in law-enforcement procedures, including hate-crimes reporting; and municipal leadership.