WASHINGTON, - A new report assessing LGBT equality in various cities has concluded and rates 55 cities in California, including Bakersfield. The 3rd annual report surveyed 353 cities across the nation and rated each city with the top score being 100.
The Municipal Equality Index (MEI) study was conducted by The Human Rights Campaign, which is the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization.
Bakersfield received a score of 54. The average score for cities in California is 73 out of 100 points, which falls above the national average of 59.
There were cities in all regions that earned top marks, which the study asserts that LGBT equality is not directly confined to regions presumably more LGBT friendly.
"From Mississippi to Idaho, mid-size cities and small towns have become the single greatest engine of progress for LGBT equality--changing countless lives for the better," said HRC President Chad Griffin.
Cities researched for the MEI include the 50 state capitals, the 200 most populous cities in the country, the four largest cities in every state, the city home to each state's largest public university, and an equal mix of 75 of the nation's large, mid-size and small municipalities with the highest proportion of same-sex couples.
"In just three years, the number of municipalities earning top marks for their treatment of LGBT citizens has more than tripled. Simply put, in this country there is an ongoing race to the top to treat all people, including LGBT people, fairly under the law, and it's time our state and federal laws caught up," Griffin said.
According to the study, more cities are responding well to the survey, despite some states not having state-wide non-discrimination laws
"In many municipalities, local leaders are taking important steps to provide LGBT people with the protections and security not available at the state or federal level. And because of this leadership, many cities and counties are emerging as welcoming communities where LGBT people are treated with the dignity and respect they've always deserved," said Rebecca Issacs, Executive Director of Equality Federation.
Out of all 353 cities studied, 38 cities had a perfect score of 100. That total is up from 25 cities in 2013, and 11 cities in 2012.
According to the study, cities that scored 100 are setting a standard for LGBT inclusiveness by incorporating policies such as non-dicriminitive laws, equal employee benefits, and "cutting edge" city services.
"Municipal victories are fueling the movement for equality in states across this nation. The Municipal Equality Index is a terrific tool to help spur those victories along and celebrate the cities who have worked so hard to get us to this point," said Issacs.
The MEI rates cities based on 47 criteria falling under six broad categories:
-Non-discrimination laws
-Relationship recognition
-Municipality's employment policies, including transgender-inclusive insurance coverage, contracting non-discrimination requirements, and other policies relating to equal treatment of LGBT city employees
-Inclusiveness of city services
-Law enforcement
-Municipal leadership on matters of equality
The full report, including detailed scorecards for every city, as well as a searchable database, is available online
HERE.
Below you can find the scores for each of the cities studied in California.
Anaheim: 67,
Bakersfield: 54,
Berkeley: 95,
Brisbane: 51,
Cathedral City: 90,
Chula Vista: 61,
Concord: 62,
Corona: 63,
Elk Grove: 76,
Escondido: 60,
Fontana: 59,
Fremont: 84,
Fresno: 67,
Fullerton: 58,
Garden Grove: 59,
Glendale: 61,
Guerneville: 74,
Hayward: 58,
Huntington Beach: 72,
Irvine: 68, Lancaster: 88,
Long Beach: 100,
Los Angeles: 100,
Modesto: 63,
Moreno Valley: 64,
Oakland: 93,
Oceanside: 57,
Ontario: 65,
Orange: 68,
Oxnard: 61,
Palm Springs: 100,
Palmdale: 66,
Pasadena: 76,
Pomona: 76,
Rancho Cucamonga: 59,
Rancho Mirage: 93,
Richmond: 80,
Riverside: 75,
Sacramento: 87,
Salinas: 59,
San Bernardino: 67,
San Diego: 100,
San Francisco: 100,
San Jose: 88,
Santa Ana: 59,
Santa Clarita: 69,
Santa Rosa: 81,
Signal Hill: 93,
Stockton: 79,
Sunnyvale: 69,
Thousand Oaks: 64,
Torrance: 63,
Vallejo: 74,
Visalia: 48,
West Hollywood: 100.
