The City of Long Beach earned a perfect score of 100, and an additional 11 points, on the Human Rights Campaign’s 2019 Municipal Equality Index (MEI) for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) inclusion in municipal law and policy.
The MEI report analyzed laws, policies and services offered in cities across the nation and scored them based on the number of LGBTQ individuals involved in those laws.
“We are proud to be recognized for our commitment to inclusion for the LGBTQ community,” Mayor Robert Garcia said. “Long Beach is, and will always be, a place where everyone, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, can live, work and love.”
Some of the key highlights in the report includes:
• Protection of youth from conversion therapy
• Non-discrimination in City employment
• Workplace inclusivity
• The availability of City employee domestic partner benefits
• The availability of transgender-inclusive healthcare benefits
• LGBTQ Liaisons in the City’s executive office and Police Department
• Leadership’s public position on LGBTQ Equality
The national average score on the MEI was 60. Long Beach and San Fransisco were the only two cities in California that scored 100 points.
The full MEI report can be found here.
