St. Pete Scores A Perfect 100 On National LGBT Index Equality

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — For the seventh year in a row, the city of St. Petersburg scores a 100 on the Human Rights Campaign's annual Municipal Equality Index, a nationwide assessment of LGBTQ inclusion in municipal law, according to a news release.

St. Pete was one of six cities in Florida to receive a perfect score out of the 20 statewide cities and 506 municipalities ranked.

Tampa, Orlando, Tallahassee, Wilton Manors and Fort Lauderdale were other Florida cities that scored a perfect 100, according to the Human Rights Campaign.

"We are incredibly proud to have received a perfect score for the seventh year in a row," Mayor Rick Kriseman said. "It is a reflection of our values and policy advancements and serves as a vital message point for us when recruiting people and businesses to our city. We recognize that building an inclusive city never ends."

In January 2002, St. Pete passed its Human Rights Ordinance, which added sexual orientation as a protected status in housing, public accommodations and employment, according to the city's website.

Other progressive moments for the St. Pete LGBTQ community include:

2012:

• In his support of full marriage equality, Mayor Rick Kriseman signs the Mayor for the Freedom to Marry Statement in June, joining a growing number of US bipartisan mayors who understand that the strength and health of our cities are enhanced when all families are protected and supported.

2013:

• A St. Pete conference for health professionals entitled “Building Awareness of the Needs of the Geriatric LGBT Patient” was held in Oct. 2013.

2014:

• City of St. Petersburg increased its sponsorship of Pride by giving $35,000 in city support to the annual celebration.
• City of St. Petersburg participated in the 2014 Florida Equality/Pinellas Gala, as Mayor Rick Kriseman proclaimed May as Equality Month and May 3 as “Edie Windsor Day,” as he welcomed this LGBT heroine of the marriage equality movement.

2017:

• St. Pete hosted The IGLTA Annual Global Convention - the world's premier educational and networking event for LGBT tourism professionals.

2018:

• Mayor Rick Kriseman proclaimed March 31 as Transgender Day of Visibility.

2019:

• USAToday rated St. Pete Pride the #2 Pride Festival to attend in 2019.

According to the Human Rights Campaign, of the 94 cities across the nation that earned the top scores:

• Had more comprehensive nondiscrimination laws for transpeople than the state
• Had contractor non-discrimination policies including gender identity
• Have an LGBTQ liaison to the 88 city executive
• Reported hate crimes statistics to the FBI
• Have an openly LGBTQ elected or appointed official in senior leadership
• Support direct services to people living with HIV or AIDS
• Offer trans-inclusive health 87 benefits for city employees
• Support targeted, direct services to the transgender community
• Offer employees benefits to same and different-sex domestic partners
• Support targeted, direct services for LGBTQ youth

"I am so very proud of our city and the work this administration has done over the last seven years that we have received a perfect score," Jim Nixon, city of St. Petersburg's LGBTQ Liaison, said. "St Petersburg continues to demonstrate its commitment to equality for the LGBTQ community and for all that live in our amazing city. We are proud to work alongside our corporate partners and statewide municipalities as we embrace equality."

For more information on the city's LGBTQ's resources, visit LGBTQ St. Pete.