The Human Rights Campaign, one of the largest LGBTQ+ civil rights group in the nation, has released its annual report evaluating cities across the country on how inclusive their municipal laws, policies, and services are of LGBTQ+ people who live and work there.
Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Miami, Orlando, St Petersburg, Tampa, and Wilton Manors all received 100% scores in the organization’s Municipal Equality Index.
“With federal and state governments too often leaving LGBTQ+ people behind, cities and towns are stepping up and embracing inclusion and equality,” said Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign.
“For years now, state legislatures — and now Congress and the President — are waging a calculated campaign to erase LGBTQ+ people from public life and the cities that wish to welcome them. But there are still more of us who support equality than those who do not — and I commend each and every city that fought against tall odds to show their continued support of our community. In these challenging times, our work with the Municipal Equality Index and the leadership of these municipalities have never been more critical.”
Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia recently criticized several local governments for spending taxpayer funds on Pride events and for LGBTQ+ youth services as part of the Florida Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) task force findings.
The state’s Department of Transportation sparked outrage earlier this year when it began removing pavement surface markings of all political stripes, such as the rainbow-striped crosswalk outside the Pulse Memorial in Orlando.
Mayors from two of the cities that received perfect scores hailed their inclusion on the Human Rights Campaign’s annual list on Tuesday.
“I’m proud that our community has received this honor,” said St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch. “As we continue to build on this progress, we remain committed to making St. Pete a city that advances equity for all of its residents.”
“When everyone feels safe, supported, and included, cities become more creative, economies grow, and public life becomes more vibrant,” said Tampa Mayor Jane Castor in a press release. “Studies consistently show that LGBTQ+ equality makes cities stronger for all residents, attracting talent, inspiring innovation, and building the kind of trust and energy that allow neighborhoods, businesses, and people to thrive together.”