Human Rights Campaign Launches Annual Municipal Equality Index in St. Louis

Today, Mayor Tishaura O. Jones welcomed the Human Rights Campaign to St. Louis to release its annual Municipal Equality Index (MEI) scorecard. The MEI evaluates 506 cities nationwide on how inclusive their laws, policies, and services are of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) people. For the twelfth year in a row, the City of St. Louis scored a 100 -- the highest ranking possible.

“I have heard from our LGBTQIA+ community about the pain they felt when the Missouri legislature and Attorney General launched their attacks on trans kids, their families, and their doctors,” said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. “However, in the City of St. Louis, we fight like hell for our families. We have not wavered in our dedication to supporting and protecting our community, and I am proud to once again score 100 on this year’s MEI.”

The 2023 score highlights the many vital aspects of being an LGBTQIA+ inclusive city, including established non-discrimination laws for sexuality and gender identity, inclusive health benefits for transgender employees, and benefits for same-sex domestic partners. The City also received bonus points for having elected and appointed LGBTQIA+ leaders, and for pushing back against restrictive state laws.

According to HRC, the average MEI score for cities went up an average of two points, and a record breaking 129 cities scored 100 this year – the highest possible score they can get. The full Municipal Equality Index report can be found at hrc.org/mei.