DUBUQUE, Iowa – The Human Rights Campaign, in partnership with the Equality Federation Institute, has issued its 2020 Municipal Equality Index, a ranking of municipalities across the country based on the inclusiveness of their laws, policies, and services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) residents. In Iowa, Dubuque, Iowa City and Cedar Rapids had scores of 100 for 2o20.
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is a national education and advocacy organization working to achieve equality for LGBTQ people. Since 2012, the HRC has issued the annual Municipal Equality Index, ranking cities on a scale from zero to 100 based on 44 criteria covering non-discrimination laws, the municipality as an employer, municipal services, law enforcement, and the City leadership’s public position on equality.
Cities are rated on a scale of 0-100, based on the city’s laws, policies, benefits, and services. There are 100 standard points and 22 flex points (flex points are awarded for items which apply to some but not all cities).
In 2020, a total of 506 cities were ranked. Ninety-four cities earned a score of 100, which is an increase from 88 in 2019 and 11 when the first report was released in 2012. Dubuque’s score of 100 is significantly higher than the national city score average of 64 points. This year, 179 cities, including Dubuque, have transgender-inclusive healthcare benefits for municipal employees.
2020 Scores for cities in Iowa included on the ratings:
- Ames – 87
- Cedar Rapids – 100
- Davenport – 84
- Des Moines – 88
- Iowa City – 100
- Dubuque – 100
- Sioux City – 57
- Waterloo – 59
- West Des Moines – 99
The MEI rated 506 cities including the 50 state capitals, the 200 largest cities in the United States, the five largest cities or municipalities in each state, the cities home to the state’s two largest public universities, 75 municipalities that have high proportions of same-sex couples and 98 cities selected by HRC and Equality Federation state group members and supporters.
The full report, including detailed scorecards for every city, as well as a searchable database, is available online at www.hrc.org/mei.
