ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Inclusive laws, policies and services have helped Ann Arbor receive a perfect score on the newly-released Municipal Equality Index (MEI) by the Human Rights Campaign.
The index evaluates how a city’s policies impact LGBTQ+ community members and creates of scorecard divided into five sections: non-discrimination laws, municipality as employer, municipal services, law enforcement and leadership on LGBTQ+ equality.
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Ann Arbor received the highest number of points in every aspect of its scorecard.
Here’s a quick look at the scores:
| Category | Points Awarded | Possible Points |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Discrimination Laws | 30 | 30 |
| Municipality as Employer | 28 | 28 |
| Municipal Services | 12 | 12 |
| Law Enforcement | 22 | 22 |
| Leadership on LGBTQ+ Equality | 8 | 8 |
This year, 506 cities were given ratings a scale of 1-100 based on how inclusive laws and services are of LGBTQ+ people based on publically available information and feedback from city government officials. “Flex” points are awarded to some cities with additional services and benefits.
Points are awarded for 49 criteria including transgender-inclusive healthcare benefits, non-discrimination in employment and housing, city leadership commitments to LGBTQ+ community members, reported 2022 hate crime statistics, and pro-equality legislation.