Stamford Receives Perfect Score from the Human Rights Campaign

From the Office of the Stamford Mayor:

Mayor David Martin proudly announced today that Stamford received a perfect 100 in the Human Rights Campaign’s 2016 Municipal Equality Index. Stamford was one of 60 other cities nationally to receive a perfect score, and received the highest score of any Connecticut city. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) releases this yearly index for 506 municipalities all over the United States to show residents how their city supports LGBTQ people who live and work there.

“I am thrilled with our city’s perfect score, up 38 points since I took office. We live in an incredibly diverse city where all residents deserve fair and equal treatment, no matter how they identify,” said Mayor Martin.

Stamford’s commitment to LGBTQ equality was exemplified in June when the Mayor requested the LGBTQ Pride flag be flown in front of the Government Center after the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida.

While the HRC caps scores at 100, Stamford actually scored at 102, up 11 points from last year’s score of 91. The other Connecticut towns & cities scored were Bridgeport, Fairfield, Hartford, New Britain, New Haven, Norwalk, Stamford, Storrs (Mansfield) and Waterbury. The next closest score was New Haven at 94, with the average score for these Connecticut towns and cities at 69, above the national average of 55.

One of the items scored in this year’s scorecard was whether the city had LGBT liaisons to the city and police department. In July 2015, Mayor Martin appointed Assistant Police Chief Tom Wuennemann and Deputy Corporation Counsel Vikki Cooper as the City’s LGBT liaisons. They have been appointed to ensure concerns of LGBTQ residents can be heard and acted upon. Cooper and Wuennemann joined the Mayor for the press conference this afternoon.

In addition to Cooper and Chief Wuennemann, the City has received feedback and guidance on LGBTQ issues from the Triangle Community Center (TCC), the LGBTQ center for Fairfield County, based in Norwalk. TCC’s Executive Director Anthony Crisci and Director of Operations Conor Pfeifer also joined the Mayor and LGBT liaisons praising the City’s score.

Anthony Crisci added, "Triangle Community Center salutes the Martin administration, city employees, and the people of Stamford who stepped up for the LGBTQ community. Stamford has distinguished itself by providing the structure necessary to serve and protect the LGBTQ community—the Human Rights Campaign took note, awarding Stamford 100% on the Municipal Equality Index. The work to ensure equality in the everyday lives of LGBTQ people in Fairfield County doesn't end. TCC looks forward to continued partnership with the City of Stamford and the Martin administration to provide education and care for the LGBTQ community."

Click here to see Stamford’s full report card.

Photo courtesy of the Office of Mayor David Martin