Amherst Lags in National Survey of LGBTQ+ Protections
Human Rights Campaign Ranks Amherst Last Among 10 Massachusetts Cities Examined
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation has released its 2023 Municipal Equality Index (MEI) which grades 506 U.S. cities and towns on their commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusivity within their laws, policies and services. The report rates cities according to five scoring criteria: Non-Discrimination Laws, Municipality as Employer, Services and Programs, Law Enforcement and Leadership on LGBTQ+ Equality.
Amherst earned an Equity Index score of 74, ranking it 10th among the 10 cities and towns in Massachusetts evaluated in the MEI Report. Seven cities including Northampton achieved the maximum grade of 100, while Springfield earned an 86 and Lowell a 91, all ahead of Amherst.
Amherst fared most poorly in the Municipality as Employer, Municipal Services and Law Enforcement categories.
In the Municipality as Employer assessment Amherst lost points for not offering transgender-inclusive healthcare benefits and not having a city contractor non-discrimination ordinance. It also scored no points for ensuring an inclusive workplace.
Amherst lost 5 points in the Municipal Services category for not having a LGBTQ+ liaison in the city executive’s office. It similarly lost 10 points for having no liaison or task force in the Police Department.
Amherst picked up 2 points for being in a state that protects transgender youth from conversion therapy. In 2019 Massachusetts became the 16th state to ban ‘gay conversion therapy.’
Nationwide Amherst was in the middle, with 50% of the cities evaluated scoring over 74.
By way of comparison, the five largest cities in Florida, the state that has passed the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, all scored better than Amherst.
The full 2023 MEI Report can be viewed at https://reports.hrc.org/municipal-equality-index-2023.
