How Well Michigan Cities Protect LGBT People

A new report from the Human Rights Campaign says Ann Arbor protects LGBTQ people better than any other in Michigan. The civil rights advocacy group, based in Washington, D.C, released its seventh annual Municipality Equality Index scorecards this week ahead of National Coming Out Day on Thursday.

In Michigan, the group assessed 10 cities for LGBTQ inclusion in municipal law, policy and services (it separated East Lansing, for its own scores, making it 11 rankings in the Mitten).

Overall, Ann Arbor performed the best with a perfect score of 100 out of 100 possible points. Ferndale scored 91 in the ranking, but with bonus points, also scored 100 as a final score. With those "bonus" points, Detroit and East Lansing also scored 100 in the final ranking.

The authors looked at how the city’s relationship is with the LGBTQ communities, services and programs, law enforcement and non-discrimination as categories.

Here are the standard scores for each city in Michigan:.

• Ann Arbor, score: 100
• Detroit, score: 94
• East Lansing, score: 98
• Ferndale, score: 91
• Grand Rapids, score:74
• Kalamazoo, score: 72
• Lansing, score: 74
• Pleasant Ridge, score: 55
• Sterling Heights, score: 20
• Traverse City, score: 82
• Warren, score: 14

The organization noted that a record-setting 78 cities nationwide earned perfect 100s in this year’s report, up from 68 in 2017. Many are coming up with innovative new ways to protect LGBTQ people, particularly for the transgender community. Health care benefits that cater to the transgender community are now offered to workers in nearly 150 municipalities — up from 111 in 2017, 66 in 2015 and just five in 2012.

“From San Antonio, Texas to Brookings, South Dakota — this year’s MEI again proves that there are no barriers to municipal LGBTQ equality for a city with dedicated, pro-equality elected officials,” Chad Griffin, the organization’s president, said in a release. “Forward-looking leaders across the U.S. are stepping up, protecting their youth from so-called ‘conversion therapy,’ increasing anti-bullying protections, ensuring transgender city employees have access to inclusive health care benefits and protecting LGBTQ people from discrimination in all areas of life.”

The authors said the number of cities earning perfect scores has increased by more than sevenfold since 2012. At least 25 million people currently live in cities that have more comprehensive, transgender-inclusive non-discrimination laws than their state.

The report highlighted achievements in Richmond, Virginia; Columbia, Maryland; Gilbert, Arizona, and Sitka, Alaska, which saw their scores jump by 52, 41, 36 and 36 points, respectively. Milwaukee became the first municipality in Wisconsin to protect minors form so-called “conversion therapy” — paving the way for others to do the same, in the process. All this, even as the Trump administration moves to dismantle LGBT-friendly policies.

“In this political moment, as we face unprecedented challenges to fairness, justice, and democracy at the federal level, we look to local leadership in advancing equality for the LGBTQ community,” said Rebecca Isaacs, executive director of the Equality Federation Institute.Among the other key findings, 103 cities in states without comprehensive nondiscrimination laws protecting LGBTQ people scored above the national average of 58. The average scores in those cities — 83.

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation aims to improve the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (or questioning) people by pushing for understanding and encouraging the adoption of LGBTQ-inclusive policies and practices. The index rated more than 500 cities, including each state capital and the 200 largest cities in America.

Click here to read the full report.

Patch national staffer Dan Hampton contributed to this report.

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