PORTLAND, Maine — The organization Human Rights Campaign has awarded the city of Portland a 96 out of 100 in its 2022 Municipal Equality Index, which focuses on LGBTQ+ inclusion.
The yearly report "examines how inclusive municipal laws, policies, and services are of LGBTQ+ people who live and work there," and "cities are rated based on non-discrimination laws, the municipality as an employer, municipal services, law enforcement and leadership on LGBTQ+ equality," the HRC website says
This year, Portland received the highest rating in the state of Maine and increased its rating by 21 points since 2015, a Nov. 30 news release from the City of Portland said.
The ranking also places Portland in the top 25% of scores nationwide, and this is the fifth consecutive year the city's average score has risen, according to the website.
"I’m so very proud of our score, and our ability to continue increasing our overall score thanks to a steadfast commitment to inclusive policies and ordinances from our Mayor and City Council, as well as the hard work and dedication of our staff,” Portland Interim City Manager Danielle West said in the release. “We will continue to seek ways in which we can reach a perfect score. We’re also looking forward to bringing on board the City’s first Justice, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Director to help us in that endeavor, among other things, very soon."
Portland received the following individual scores:
- Non-discrimination laws: 26 out of 30 points.
- Municipality as employer: 28 out of 28 points.
- Municipal services: 5 out of 12 points.
- Law enforcement: 22 out of 22 points.
- Leadership on LGBTQ+ equality: 8 out of 8 points.
- Flex points in bonus categories: 7 out of 22 points.
For a more detailed layout of the scoring system for Portland's 2022 Municipal Equality Index results, click here.
Click here for more information about the Human Rights Campaign's 2022 Municipal Equality Index, as well as results for other cities.
You can find more information about the Human Rights Campaign here.