City Of Reno: Reno Achieves Perfect Rating On 2021 MEI Human Rights Campaign Scorecard

Press release from the City of Reno:

11/18/2021 6:00 AM

The City of Reno is proud to announce Reno has achieved a perfect score (100) on the 2021 Municipal Equality Index (MEI), a Human Rights Campaign (HRC) rating system based on non-discrimination laws, the municipality as an employer, municipal services, law enforcement, and the city leadership's public position on equality.

The 2021 MEI is a nationwide evaluation of 506 cities on how inclusive cities’ laws, policies, and services are of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) community. This is the fourth consecutive year the City of Reno has earned this prestigious distinction.

“Our City Council will continue to protect and promote the personal dignity of all Reno residents, businesses and visitors by eliminating discriminatory barriers in the community that might prevent individuals from reaching their full potential,” Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve said. “I’m extremely proud that our city continues to set the standard for inclusion.”

Mayor Schieve and the Reno City Council have made inclusivity a central focus, catapulting the City to a perfect 100-point score in 2018 for the first time since it was initially included in the MEI in 2013.

“We look forward to making additional strides regarding social justice, diversity and inclusion, equal opportunity and human dignity among all residents of the City of Reno,” Reno City Councilmember Devon Reese said. “What a tremendous honor this is.”

The City of Reno also designated LGBTQ liaisons in the City Manager’s Office and Reno Police Department (RPD) to ensure LGBTQ-related concerns are heard and appropriately addressed. In 2015, Reno extended transgender-inclusive healthcare benefits to city employees. The City of Reno’s Human Rights Commission was formed in 2018.

“Inclusive cities send a clear message that all visitors, residents and workers belong and are valued, attracting the country’s best and brightest people and businesses,” Reno City Manager Doug Thornley said. “We will continue to make diversity, equity, and inclusion a priority.”

“Throughout its 10-year history, the Municipal Equality Index has been centered on supporting and celebrating the work municipalities do to serve LGBTQ+ people in the places they call home,” said JoDee Winterhof, Human Rights Campaign Senior Vice President of Policy and Political Affairs.

This press release was produced by the City of Reno. The views expressed here are the author’s own.