How Well New York Cities Protect LGBT People

A new report from the Human Rights Campaign says Albany, New York City, Rochester and Yonkers protect LGBTQ people better than any other in New York. The civil rights advocacy group, based in Washington, D.C, released its seventh annual Municipality Equality Index scorecards this week ahead of National Coming Out Day on Thursday.

In New York, the group assessed 10 cities for LGBTQ inclusion in municipal law, policy and services. Overall, Albany, New York City, Rochester and Yonkers performed the best with a score of 100 out of 100 possible points. The authors highlighted non-discrimination and law enforcement as areas where the four cities all perform above average. Here are the scores for each city in New York.

• Albany, score: 100
• Brookhaven, score: 59
• Buffalo, score: 87
• Ithaca, score: 85
• New York City, score: 100
• Northwest Harbor, score: 54
• Rochester, score: 100
• Syracuse, score: 84
• White Plains, score: 89
• Yonkers, score: 100

The organization noted that a record-setting 78 cities nationwide earned perfect 100s in this year’s report, up from 68 in 2017. Many are coming up with innovative new ways to protect LGBTQ people, particularly for the transgender community. Health-care benefits that cater to the transgender community are now offered to workers in nearly 150 municipalities — up from 111 in 2017, 66 in 2015 and just five in 2012.

“From San Antonio, Texas, to Brookings, South Dakota — this year’s MEI again proves that there are no barriers to municipal LGBTQ equality for a city with dedicated, pro-equality elected officials,” Chad Griffin, the organization’s president, said in a release. “Forward-looking leaders across the U.S. are stepping up, protecting their youth from so-called ‘conversion therapy,’ increasing anti-bullying protections, ensuring transgender city employees have access to inclusive health care benefits and protecting LGBTQ people from discrimination in all areas of life.”

The authors said the number of cities earning perfect scores has increased by more than sevenfold since 2012. At least 25 million people currently live in cities that have more comprehensive, transgender-inclusive non-discrimination laws than their state.

The report highlighted achievements in Richmond, Virginia; Columbia, Maryland; Gilbert, Arizona, and Sitka, Alaska, which saw their scores jump by 52, 41, 36 and 36 points, respectively. Milwaukee became the first municipality in Wisconsin to protect minors form so-called “conversion therapy” — paving the way for others to do the same, in the process. All this, even as the Trump administration moves to dismantle LGBT-friendly policies.

“In this political moment, as we face unprecedented challenges to fairness, justice, and democracy at the federal level, we look to local leadership in advancing equality for the LGBTQ community,” said Rebecca Isaacs, executive director of the Equality Federation Institute. Among the other key findings, 103 cities in states without comprehensive nondiscrimination laws protecting LGBTQ people scored above the national average of 58. The average scores in those cities — 83.

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation aims to improve the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (or questioning) people by pushing for understanding and encouraging the adoption of LGBTQ-inclusive policies and practices. The index rated more than 500 cities, including each state capital and the 200 largest cities in America.

Click here to read the full report.

Patch national staffer Dan Hampton contributed to this report.

Image via Shutterstock.