Municipal Equality Index

Okay, once in awhile HRC does something right. The two things I can’t fault the HRC on if the Corporate Equality Index (CPI) and Municipal Equality Index (MEI). The CPI marginalized us a number of years ago but they have now included us on an equal bases with gays and lesbians.

They began the MEI a few years ago and Connecticut has a rating of above average.

Municipal Equality Index Finds CT Above Average for LGBT Residents
CT By The Numbers
11/12/2014

Connecticut cities continue to rank above-average when compared with municipalities across the country in the level of equality provided to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) residents.  Bridgeport, Hartford, New Haven, Stamford and Storrs (Mansfield) were the five Connecticut municipalities included by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s largest LGBT civil rights organization, in an assessment of LGBT equality in 353 cities across the nation.
[…]
The average score for the five municipalities in Connecticut was 74 out of 100 points, comfortably above the national average of 59.  The individual scores in Connecticut, largely unchanged from a year ago, were New Haven: 100, Hartford: 92, Stamford: 62, Storrs (Mansfield): 59, and Bridgeport: 57.  The scores earned by Hartford and Bridgeport dropped slightly from a year ago, and New Haven scored at 100 for the second consecutive year.  Because of changes in the legal landscape from year to year, the MEI report has revised the scoring assessment criteria, which has impacted scores in some municipalities.

But I think that we should be not only above average but all have a 100 points because after all under Connecticut law LGBT workers should be treated as the same as any other worker. Bridgeport should not be only a 57 points if they are following the law. Because the MEI has standards like,

• Non-discrimination laws
• Relationship recognition
• Municipality’s employment policies, including transgender-inclusive insurance coverage, contracting non-discrimination requirements, and other policies relating to equal treatment of LGBT city employees
• Inclusiveness of city services
• Law enforcement
• Municipal leadership on matters of equality

All them categories are mandated by Connecticut law so the cities breaking the law by not covering those categories.  There are cities in Louisiana, Kansas, Utah, and Texas that have higher scores that Bridgeport.