St. Petersburg (for its ninth year in a row) and Tampa both earned a perfect 100 score on the Human Rights Campaignโs Municipal Equality Index.
The 2022 MEI evaluated 506 cities based on how inclusive their laws, policies, and services are to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community.
In celebration of the announcement, St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch said in a press release, โafter nine years of a perfect score on the Municipal Equality Index, it could be easy for St. Petersburg to become complacent.โ
Welch says, โit is motivation for the city to explore more ways in which our LGBTQ+ community can be supported, promoted, and valued.โ
Out of the 120 perfect score cities, nine others are in the Sunshine State: Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Miami Beach, Oakland Park, Orlando, Tallahassee, Wellington, West Palm Beach, and Wilton Manors.