Pittsburgh ranked among top cities for LGBTQ inclusivity

Pittsburgh is among 94 cities across the country and four in Pennsylvania that earned a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s 2020 index ranking on LGBTQ inclusion.

“We have continued to make strides toward being a more inclusive and welcoming city,” Mayor Bill Peduto said in a statement.

“We are proud to be recognized by the Human Rights Campaign with our 2020 MEI Score of 100.” said Mayor @billpeduto.

“Thanks to the Office of Equity and our city departments, we have continued to make strides toward being a more inclusive and welcoming city.” https://t.co/g27zUbcG7P

— Office of the Mayor (@TheNextPGH) December 3, 2020

The 2020 Municipal Equality Index Scorecard evaluated 506 cities on how inclusive they are for members of the LGBTQ community. It scores cities on areas such as whether transgender and domestic partner health care benefits are provided for city employees, LGBTQ services available for residents and if members of the community serve in leadership positions.

This is the fourth consecutive year Pittsburgh earned the top score. In the 2020 scorecard, Allentown, Philadelphia and State College also earned 100 on the index. They are among 94 of the 506 cities that earned the highest score available.

The average score was 64 out of 100 points, an all-time high since the index started in 2012, according to the HRC.

The results of the 2020 index are “definitive evidence” of the strides local leaders have made toward making a stand for equality, Human Rights Campaign President Alphonso David said.

“As we come to the end of a truly unique year, this report on LGBTQ equality at the local level provides our community with hope,” David said.

Since 2018, Pittsburgh has covered sex change surgery for its employees and their dependents and the city will begin offering coverage for infertility treatments next year.

This year, the city also created a LGBTQIA+ Commission that expands upon the advisory council Peduto formed in 2017 and makes it a permanent part of city government.

Tiffini Simoneaux, an LGBTQ liaison who works as youth and education manager for the city’s Office of Equity, said more than 130 people have applied to serve on the commission.

“We got a really great response,” Simoneaux said. “We’re really hopeful with having the commission we can continue to move forward.”

Appointments for the commission will be announced soon, Simoneaux said. “We want to make sure that everyone feels they have a city government that serves them.”