Minneapolis Earns High Marks In LGBT Rights Survey
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Minneapolis earned high marks on gay rights from the Human Rights Campaign's newly released survey of 137 U.S. cities.
The HRC announced the results of their Municipal Equality Index survey, which ranked cities according to their inclusivity for the LGBT community in municipal law.
The survey ranked cities on a scale of 100 points, which were determined under categories including, according to the HRC, "non-discrimination laws, relationship recognition, the municipality's employment practices, inclusiveness of city services, law enforcement, and municipal leadership."
Minneapolis earned a score of 91, thanks to bonus points awarded for offering services to vulnerable LGBT populations (such as youth or those living with HIV), having openly gay city leaders, and offering transgender-inclusive health benefits.
St. Paul earned lower marks, with a score of 67 on the HRC's scale. The areas where St. Paul lost points compared to Minneapolis included not having either a non-discrimination or equal benefits ordinance for city contractors, and not having a mayoral LGBT liaison or an office of LGBT affairs.
Both Minneapolis and St. Paul missed points for not including domestic partner health benefits for municipality employees, and for not having an LGBT liaison or task force in their police departments.
Among cities nearby in the Midwest, Madison, Wis. scored higher marks than Minneapolis, with a score of 95. Des Moines -- where gay couples can legally wed -- earned a score of 79.
Among the 137 cities surveyed, 11 scored a perfect 100 score, including New York City, San Francisco, Boston, Seattle, and Portland, Ore.
