City of Orlando Obtains Highest Score on Municipal Equality Index

Last updated on December 03, 2020

The City of Orlando Obtains Highest Score on Municipal Equality Index for Seventh-Consecutive Year 

December 3, 2020 – Orlando, FL – As the efforts to make The City Beautiful a more inclusive, equitable community continue, the Human Rights Campaign released its annual Municipal Equality Index (MEI) today and the City of Orlando obtained the highest score of 100 for the seventh -consecutive year. The 2020 MEI examines how inclusive municipal laws, polices and services are of LGBTQ+ people for residents and visitors. 
 
The report evaluates 506 cities on 49 different criteria, including non-discrimination laws and municipal employment policies like transgender-inclusive insurance coverage, all-user restrooms and non-discrimination requirements for contractors; inclusiveness of city services; law enforcement, including hate crimes reporting and municipal leadership on matters of equality. 
 
"Although 2020 was a year with unprecedented challenges, I am proud that Orlando continues to live up to its commitment to LGBTQ+ equality and inclusion. The work towards equal opportunity for all is not over, but today we celebrate that our community has received such an important recognition from the Human Rights Campaign," said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. 
 
The City of Orlando was one of 94 municipalities nationwide and six in Florida to receive a perfect score. 
 

“Considering the state of national affairs, I am glad that cities are leading in the fair treatment of their LGBTQ+ citizens," said District 4 Commissioner Patty Sheehan. "Orlando continues to value the diversity and unique contributions of the LGBTQ+ community.” 
 
The City of Orlando has been a leader in Florida and throughout the nation in establishing local programs, ordinances and laws that benefit the LGBTQ+ community, including these efforts in 2020: 
 

  • Selecting The Center Orlando to take over as the managing entity of the Orlando United Assistance Center. Developed in the weeks after the Pulse tragedy in 2016, the assistance center offers information, resources and support to those directly impacted by the tragedy. For decades, The Center Orlando has promoted the well-being of Central Florida’s LBGTQ+ community and will work to best expand the assistance center’s services moving forward. 
     

  • Working during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that members of the transgender community were protected against discrimination at homeless shelters in Orlando despite federal policies rolling back protections based on gender identity.  
     

  • Following the implementation of a resolution in 2019 to support LGBTQ+ certified businesses, in 2020 the city offered additional outreach, learning sessions and one-on-one meetings to area LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs and businesses looking to do business with the City of Orlando. 

 

  • Creating a LGBTQ+ ally program within the Orlando Police Department to inform additional officers about resources available to the LGBTQ+ community. The program continues to build on the department’s continued successful LGBTQ+ liaison program, training 104 new officers on LGBTQ+ inclusion. 
     

  • Collaborating with the Zebra Coalition to host the seventh Orlando Youth Empowerment Summit (OYES) virtually to break the isolation of LGBTQ+ youth, providing information on mental health, civic engagement and LGBTQ+ history to more than 100 youth attendees and parents. 

 

The 2020 Municipal Equality Index (MEI) can be found at http://www.hrc.org/mei 

 

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Contact Us

Samantha Holsten
Public Information Officer

 

Email
samantha.holsten@orlando.gov 
Phone
407.246.4275

Cassandra Lafser

Press Secretary

 

Email
cassandra.lafser@orlando.gov

Phone
407.246.2182

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