Perfect Score Earned By Columbia On Human Rights Campaign's Municipal Equality Index

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Columbia has received a perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign’s 2022 Municipal Equality Index and happens to be the only Howard County community to receive this score.

"Howard County remains a place where diversity and inclusion are more than just talking points, they are fundamental principles by which we strive to live. While we have made incredible strides over the last four years, we still have more progress to make to advance civil rights for LGBTQIA+ persons. Every resident deserves the right to live openly as their true selves and not be discriminated against for who they are and who they love. This score from the Human Rights Campaign affirms we are making that vision a reality," said Howard County Executive Calvin Ball in a statement.

In 2019, Ball co-hosted the first ever Howard County Pride Festival, which drew in thousands of attendees, and created a LGBTQ+ Work Group that same year. Earlier this year, Ball passed legislation to create a permanent LGBTQIA+ Commission in Howard County, the first of its kind.

“LGBTQ+ people everywhere deserve to live in welcoming places that are focused on building equality for all. Since its launch 11 years ago, the main priority of the Municipal Equality Index remains supporting and celebrating the work cities do to serve LGBTQ+ people in the places they call home," said Jodee Winterhof, senior vice president of policy and political affairs for the Human Rights Campaign.