The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, in partnership with the Equality Federation Institute, released its sixth annual Municipal Equality Index (MEI), assessing LGBTQ equality in 506 cities across the nation, including 57 in California.

The 2017 Municipal Equality Index, the only nationwide rating system of LGBTQ inclusion in municipal law and policy, shows that cities across the country, including in California, continue to take the lead in supporting LGBTQ people and workers — even in face of renewed attacks this year on the LGBTQ community by federal and state officials.

For LGBTQ Americans, legal protections and benefits vary widely depending on location — states and cities have markedly different laws governing discrimination. 20 states have non-discrimination laws that include protections for LGBTQ people in employment, and 19 states have laws that protect LGBTQ people from discrimination in places of public accommodation. But cities are leading the way: since the MEI’s debut in 2012, the number of cities earning perfect scores has increased more than sixfold, and today at least 24 million people live in cities that have more comprehensive, transgender-inclusive non-discrimination laws than their state.

The average score for cities in California is 76 out of 100 points, which falls above the national average of 57.

 

Anaheim	80
Bakersfield	60
Berkeley	95
Brisbane	54
Cathedral City	100
Chula Vista	86
Concord	67
Corona	60
Elk Grove	77
Escondido	60
Fontana	60
Fremont	86
Fresno	57
Fullerton	76
Garden Grove	61
Glendale	65
Hayward	67
Huntington Beach	61
Irvine	83
Lancaster	78
Long Beach	100
Los Angeles	100
Modesto	59
Moreno Valley	60
Oakland	84
Oceanside	100
Ontario	54
Orange	71
Oxnard	53
Palm Desert	72
Palm Springs	100
Palmdale	71
Pasadena	84
Pomona	72
Rancho Cucamonga	54
Rancho Mirage	100
Riverside	65
Sacramento	100
Salinas	55
San Bernardino	61
San Diego	100
San Francisco	100
San Jose	100
Santa Ana	63
Santa Clarita	65
Santa Monica	78
Santa Rosa	87
Signal Hill	97
Stockton	70
Sunnyvale	73
Thousand Oaks	61
Torrance	66
Vallejo	81
Visalia	62
West Hollywood	100
Guerneville	100
Richmond	84

 

“This year’s MEI paints a vivid picture: cities big and small, in red and blue states alike, are continuing our progress toward full equality, regardless of the political drama unfolding in Washington, D.C., and in state legislatures across the country,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “Today, the MEI serves as a vital tool for business leaders and municipal officials alike when it comes to economic development. CEOs know that in order to attract and retain the best employees, they must grow their companies in places that protect LGBTQ citizens from discrimination and actively open their doors to all communities. The MEI is the best tool to help these businesses make crucial evaluations about the welcoming — or unwelcoming — nature of towns and cities across the nation.”

“California is a national beacon of hope and LGBTQ equality in the era of Trump, something borne out by another year of perfect Municipal Equality Index Scores for the state’s biggest cities, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Long Beach, San Jose and San Diego,” said Rick Zbur, executive director of Equality California. “Contributing to these successes, Equality California has been proud to endorse more winning candidates than ever in cities and towns across California over the last year. But scores in many areas, especially in the Central Valley and other inland areas, remain depressingly stagnant and low. Equality California is continuing to devote a significant amount of our focus to these regions, whose populations include some of the most marginalized members of California’s LGBTQ community.”

Since the MEI’s debut in 2012, the number of cities earning perfect scores has increased by more than sixfold, and today at least 24 million people live in cities that have more comprehensive, transgender-inclusive non-discrimination laws than their state.

Progress on transgender equality has been particularly noteworthy in cities across America this year, continuing a positive trend that the MEI has tracked — and encouraged — since 2012. Transgender-inclusive healthcare benefits are offered to employees of 111 municipalities this year — up from 86 in 2016, 66 in 2015 and just five in 2012. The MEI’s Issue Brief on Transgender-Inclusive Health Benefits is available here.

Other key findings from the 2017 Municipal Equality Index include:

• 86 cities from states without comprehensive nondiscrimination laws protecting LGBTQ people scored above the overall nationwide average of 57 points. These cities averaged 84-point scores; 28 scored a perfect 100.
• Cities continue to excel even in the absence of inclusive state laws: 41“All Star” cities in states lacking comprehensive non-discrimination laws scored above 85 points, up from 37 last year, 31 in 2016, 15 in 2014, eight in 2013, and just two in 2012.
• The national city score average increased from 55 to 57 points. 68 cities scored 100 points; 25 percent scored over 79 points; 50 percent scored over 59 points; 25 percent scored less than 36; and 11 cities scored zero points.

The MEI rated 506 cities including the 50 state capitals, the 200 largest cities in the United States, the five largest cities or municipalities in each state, the cities home to the state’s two largest public universities, municipalities that have high proportions of same-sex couples and 98 cities selected by HRC and Equality Federation state group members and supporters. It assesses each city on 44 criteria covering citywide nondiscrimination protections, policies for municipal employees, city services, law enforcement, and city leadership’s relationship with the LGBTQ community. Starting in 2018, the MEI will introduce new criteria including protecting youth from “conversion therapy” and will deduct points for religious exemptions that allow discrimination by singling out LGBTQ people.

The full report, including detailed scorecards for every city, as well as a searchable database, is available online at www.hrc.org/mei.

 

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual,transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.