Detroit earns top score for protection of the LGBTQ+ community for 10th year in a row

What’s happening:  The City of Detroit has received its 10th consecutive 100 score, a top rating, on the 2025 Human Rights Campaign Municipal Equity Index (MEI) scoreboard.  Each year, the Human Rights Campaign publishes the scoreboard, which evaluates more than 500 cities across the country on their inclusivity laws and policies for the LGBTQ+ community.  Since 2016, Detroit has repeatedly earned the maximum score of 100 points, the most any city can be awarded.  This year, only five other cities in Michigan also received perfect scores. 

How they did it: The city earned all 100 possible base points for offering services for LGBTQ+ Youth and for having openly LGBTQ+ appointed members of the City government. A city’s final score cannot exceed 100. MEI’s base point system. The scorecard rates large American cities based on non-discrimination laws, policies as city and an employer, law enforcement, and leadership on LGBTQ+ equality.

Municipal Equity Index scorecard evaluates cities in these areas:

Non-Discrimination Laws: Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity is prohibited by the city, country, or state in areas of employment, housing, and public accommodations.

Municipality as Employer:  LGBTQ+ employees are offered equivalent benefits and protection. Contracts are awarded to fair-minded businesses, and steps taken to ensure an inclusive workplace; and municipalities commit themselves to treating LGBTQ+ employees equally.

Municipal Services: The city takes efforts to ensure LGBTQ+ residents are included in city services and programs.

Law Enforcement: Enforcement of the law includes responsible reporting of hate crimes and engaging with the LGBTQ+ community in a thoughtful and respectful way.

Leadership on LGBTQ+ Equality: This category measures the city leadership’s commitment to fully include the LGBTQ+ community and to advocate for full equality.

What they’re saying: Mayor Mike Duggan —  “The Detroit we have built together is one that values and welcomes all people. We work every day to strengthen our support members of the LGBTQ+ community and 10 consecutive perfect scores on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equity Index reflects our dedication.”

Anthony Zander, Director of Civil Rights, Inclusion & Opportunity — “This is crucial work. Our mission to protect civil rights and promote inclusion and opportunity rings true even more today. It’s so much more than advocacy. It’s about maintaining an environment where everyone is respected. We anticipate this work will continue its impact and serve as a playbook for all we do every day – especially for marginalized communities.” 

Corporal Danni Woods, LGBT Liaison, Office of Workplace and Community Resiliency, Detroit Police Department — “It is the efforts of the LGBTQ Liaison, department members, advocates, organizations and our community that have collaboratively worked to train, discuss and effect positive change to bring us to this point. We have the only MCOLES certified LGBTQ Sensitivity, Awareness, and Competency Training in the state of Michigan and work tirelessly to ensure our officers are trained and equipped to engage our LGBTQ+ citizens. With support from our Mayor’s office and State leaders, Detroit represents the ‘True Grit’ of working hard towards continuing to build an inclusive city. Equality across the board is the finish line and the mission continues, with all the components combined we will reach our goal.” 

Lesa Kent, Civil Rights Manager — “I am so proud to serve a municipality that not only sets the standard but lives its values every single day. Detroit continues to demonstrate what it means to lead with integrity, ensuring that equity is not just a principle that we champion but a practice we uphold.”

Learn more here.

Source: City of Detroit