The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has issued its 2022 Municipal Equality Index (MEI), a ranking of municipalities across the country based on how inclusive cities’ laws, policies, and services are of LGBTQ+ people. Dubuque earned a score of 95 out of 100.
Since 2012, the HRC has issued the annual Municipal Equality Index, ranking cities on a scale from zero to 100 based on 49 criteria covering non-discrimination laws, the municipality as an employer, municipal services, law enforcement, and the City leadership’s public position on equality.
“Dubuque is constantly striving to ensure our LGBTQ+ community is safe, respected, and valued,” said City of Dubuque Chief of Equity and Human Rights Dr. Gisella Aitken-Shadle. “We are proud of our high score, but we also know that our work is not finished. Our mission to make Dubuque a community that is equitable, welcoming, and vibrant continues!”
In 2022, a total of 506 cities were ranked. Dubuque’s score of 95 is significantly higher than the national city average of 69 points. The MEI rated cities including the 50 state capitals, the 200 largest cities in the United States, the five largest cities or municipalities in each state, the cities home to the state’s two largest public universities, 75 municipalities that have high proportions of same-sex couples and 98 cities selected by HRC and Equality Federation state group members and supporters.
2022 scores for cities in Iowa:
- Ames – 89
- Cedar Rapids – 100
- Davenport – 100
- Des Moines – 96
- Dubuque – 95
- Iowa City – 100
- Sioux City – 79
- Waterloo – 61
- West Des Moines – 91
The full report, including detailed scorecards for every city, as well as a searchable database, is available online at www.hrc.org/mei.
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