Free Daily Headlines :

  • COVID-19
  • Vaccine Info
  • Money
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Health
  • Justice
  • More
    • Environment
    • Economic Development
    • Gaming
    • Investigations
    • Social Services
    • TRANSPORTATION
  • Opinion
    • CT Viewpoints
    • CT Artpoints
DONATE
Reflecting Connecticut’s Reality.
    COVID-19
    Vaccine Info
    Money
    Politics
    Education
    Health
    Justice
    More
    Environment
    Economic Development
    Gaming
    Investigations
    Social Services
    TRANSPORTATION
    Opinion
    CT Viewpoints
    CT Artpoints

LET�S GET SOCIAL

Show your love for great stories and out standing journalism

Connecticut communities score high on LGBTQ issues, civil rights group says

  • Justice
  • by Kathleen Megan
  • November 20, 2019
  • View as "Clean Read" "Exit Clean Read"

Wikipedia

Gay pride flag

Connecticut cities and towns scored higher than average in a national assessment of laws and policies supporting the LGBTQ community, with Stamford and Hartford at the top in the state,  according to a report released Tuesday by the educational arm of the Human Rights Campaign.

The campaign, which is the nation’s largest civil rights organization for LGBTQ people, partnered with the Equality Federation Institute to produce a “Municipal Equality Index” for 506 communities in 50 states assessing them on a scale of zero to 100 points.

Nine municipalities were evaluated in Connecticut with Stamford getting 100 points, followed by Hartford at 99 and Norwalk at 97. Connecticut has a  statewide average of 74 points, compared to the national average of 60 points.

Of the nine cities assessed in the state, the lowest-scoring were Bridgeport at 42 points, and Fairfield at 46 points.

The cities were assessed on 49 criteria, including city-wide non-discrimination protections, policies for municipal employees, city services, law enforcement and the city’s leadership on LGBTQ equality.

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the education arm of the group, said that since the debut of the Municipality Equality Index eight years ago the number of cities earning the top score of 100 points has gone from 11 to the highest ever — 88 — this year. Last year, 78 communities achieved perfect scores.

It also noted that transgender-inclusive health care benefits are offered to employees of 164 municipalities this year — up from 147 in 2018, 111 in 2017, and only five in 2012.

And 408 cities have equal employment opportunity policies that expressly include sexual orientation and/or gender identity, the report says, up by 30 from last year.

“These inclusive and welcoming cities are standing up to the unrelenting attacks on the LGBTQ community by the Trump-Pence administration, and sending a clear message that the fair and equal treatment of our community, our families and our neighbors is a true American value,” said  Alphonso David, president of the Human Rights Campaign.

“This year’s Municipal Equality Index shows that across the country, city leaders are working tirelessly to ensure that their constituents can secure housing, make a living and participate in community life without being discriminated against because of who they are,” David continued.

Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin said, “We’re proud of our work with the Human Rights Campaign to improve our ranking in the Municipal Equality Index, and we are committed to the ongoing, daily work of building and being an inclusive and affirming city.  No matter who you love or how you identify, you are welcome in Hartford, and when we say our diversity is Hartford’s greatest strength, we work hard to match words with action.”

CtMirror.org

Rep. Jeff Currey, D-East Hartford (file photo)

However, some leaders of the LGBTQ community raised questions about the index.

“While it is great to see some Connecticut cities achieving successful numbers, it’s important that we recognize the nonprofits and other supports that have promoted and advocated on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community to which these cities owe a tremendous debt of gratitude,” said Rep. Jeff Currey, D-East Hartford. “We also must acknowledge that while checking a box can be seen as a successful outcome, there must be a culture shift to ensure that all our LGBTQ+ residents feel respected and heard. ”

Currey said there is always more work to be done, especially “in an already polarized national political climate. It will take a concentrated effort at the state and local levels to ensure all of Connecticut’s cities are truly inclusive and welcoming to all.”

Shawn Lang, deputy director for AIDS Connecticut, said that it appears  the campaign looked at city ordinances and policies to see if HIV services were available.

This is a picture of Shawn Lang, who leads an overdose-prevention workgroup and has long pushed for increased access to naloxone.

Arielle Levin Becker :: CTMirror.org

Shawn Lang, deputy director ACT (file photo)

But it “doesn’t really look at quality of life for the actual people who live in these cities, or the extent of HIV services,” she noted.

“For me, I’m proud .. to have been a part of getting progressive LGBT and HIV policies and legislation enacted. But we all know, great policies don’t necessarily enhance quality of life for everyone.

“I think, even in Connecticut, the experiences of middle and upper middle class white LGBT people may be quite different than for people of color, young queer people, people who struggle economically, and transgender folks, especially trans women of color,” Lang said.

Other Connecticut cities and towns given equality index scores were: New Britain, 73; New Haven, 85; Storrs, 52; and Waterbury 71.

In Hartford, David Grant, who was hired in January as the mayor’s executive assistant and liaison to the LGBTQ community, said that staff at the city’s Reentry Welcome Center have been trained to ensure that those recognized as LGBTQ are treated fairly and given access to resources for their specific needs as they re-enter the community after incarceration.

“A modified intake form allows them to express their gender freely without being constrained to the binary of male or female,” Grant said. “The staff there have received training, from our office, not only in the resources available to LBGTQ folks throughout the city but also in how to address those needs in a humane way so they feel affirmed.”

He said that the city’s employee applications are also more inclusive so that employees are not confined to male or female categories.

“Part of what the city has done over the past year, which I feel is really progressive, is we’ve really tried to shape the culture,” said Grant, “and I think that’s a culture of not just tolerance, but affirming people’s individuality and recognizing their diversity is our strength.”

The city received strong scores on the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, on its employment policies, and on efforts to ensure that LGBTQ constituents are included in city services and programs, as well as bonus points for a youth bullying prevention policy and services for LGBTQ youth and homeless people.

Despite a high profile case involving the alleged sexual harassment by a Hartford police sergeant of a fellow officer who was serving as the department’s LGBTQ liaison, the Hartford Police Department also received the most points possible for “fair enforcement of the law” including responsible reporting of hate crimes and “engaging with the LGBTQ community in a thoughtful and respectful way.”

The sergeant in the police case was given a 35-day unpaid suspension in September for lewd language and behavior against the fellow officer, according to the Hartford Courant.

Sign up for CT Mirror's free daily news summary.

Free to Read. Not Free to Produce.

The Connecticut Mirror is a nonprofit newsroom. 90% of our revenue comes from people like you. If you value our reporting please consider making a donation. You'll enjoy reading CT Mirror even more knowing you helped make it happen.

YES, I'LL DONATE TODAY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathleen Megan Kathleen Megan wrote for more than three decades for the Hartford Courant, covering education in recent years and winning many regional and national awards. She is now covering education and child welfare issues for the Mirror.

SEE WHAT READERS SAID

RELATED STORIES
What we’ve lost, what we’ve learned during our year of COVID
by CT Mirror Staff

On March 6, 2020, Gov. Ned Lamont announced that the first case of COVID-19 had been detected in Connecticut, and within weeks, life as we knew it was a memory. Schools were shut down, universities emptied, businesses shuttered. Those of us who were fortunate enough to be able to work from home set up shop at our […]

Few tenants facing eviction have an attorney. Top lawmakers are poised to change that.
by Jacqueline Rabe Thomas

Legislation that would provide tenants facing eviction the "right to counsel" is a top priority for legislative leaders.

Equity issues dominate hearing on Lamont’s marijuana bill
by Kelan Lyons and Mark Pazniokas

The administration's testimony took up the hearing's first five hours. More than 130 people are signed up to speak.

Three weeks into COVID-19 vaccinations, DOC has vaccinated 10% of inmates, 40% of staff
by Kelan Lyons

Fewer than 850 incarcerated people had been vaccinated as of Feb. 22.

Judiciary Committee hears testimony on changes to last summer’s police accountably bill
by Kelan Lyons

One police chief said they need more time to train officers on new use-of-force rules.

Support Our Work

Show your love for great stories and outstanding journalism.

$
Select One
  • Monthly
  • Yearly
  • Once
Artpoint painter
CT ViewpointsCT Artpoints
Opinion Right to counsel is just as much a racial justice as a housing policy
by Viewpoints Contributor

Despite the state and federal moratoriums on eviction, nearly 3,000 Connecticut families have faced eviction in the past 10 months. Over half of these families were Black or Latinx, even though these groups combined comprise less than a quarter of the overall population. The stop-gap measures pursued by the state are not enough. Connecticut needs a statewide right to counsel for tenants facing eviction to address the burning housing and racial justice crisis across the state.

Opinion We need justice, not politics
by Richard J. Colangelo Jr. and 13 State's Attorneys

The administration of justice should not be political. Prosecutors must be guided by the evidence in a case and the applicable law, not by partisan, political considerations. Political pressure should never sway a prosecutor’s decision-making.

Opinion Assisted suicide lobby spreads falsehoods to promote systemic ableism
by Stephen Mendelsohn

Proponents of assisted suicide repeatedly spread falsehoods to promote their lethal and ableist agenda.  The February 8 op-ed, “Aid in dying is not assisted suicide” is no exception. Suicide is defined as the act of taking one’s life intentionally.  The person who intentionally ingests a prescribed lethal overdose more closely fits the dictionary definition of suicide than the despondent person who jumps off a bridge.  The desire for suicide is a cry for help, even when redefined as a “medical treatment option.”

Opinion TCI will create a fourth gasoline tax
by Christian A. Herb

The Transportation Climate Initiative, or TCI, calls for a proposed emissions fee on gasoline to help battle climate change. On the surface, supporters say it is a small price to pay to help save the planet; and if you truly believe that this is the case, then you should consider voting for it. Despite the administration’s efforts to go out of their way to not call TCI a tax, the simple truth is that it will only create additional financial hardships on lower- and middle-income families struggling to make ends meet during the pandemic.

Artwork Grand guidance
by Anne:Gogh

In a world of systemic oppression aimed towards those of darker skintones – representation matters. We are more than our equity elusive environments, more than numbers in a prison and much more than victims of societal dispositions. This piece depicts a melanated young man draped in a cape ascending high above multiple forms of oppression. […]

Artwork Shea
by Anthony Valentine

Shea is a story about race and social inequalities that plague America. It is a narrative that prompts the question, “Do you know what it’s like to wake up in new skin?”

Artwork The Declaration of Human Rights
by Andres Chaparro

Through my artwork I strive to create an example of ideas that reflect my desire to raise social consciousness, and cultural awareness. Jazz music is the catalyst to all my work, and plays a major influence in each piece of work.”

Artwork ‘A thing of beauty. Destroy it forever’
by Richard DiCarlo | Derby

During times like these it’s often fun to revisit something familiar and approach things with a different slant. I have been taking some Pop culture and Art masterpieces and applying the vintage 1960’s and 70’s classic figures (Fisher Price, little people) to the make an amusing pieces. Here is my homage to Fisher -Price, Yellow […]

Twitter Feed
A Twitter List by CTMirror

Engage

  • Reflections Tickets & Sponsorships
  • Events
  • Donate
  • Newsletter Sign-Up
  • Submit to Viewpoints
  • Submit to ArtPoints
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Commenting Guidelines
  • Legal Notices
  • Contact Us

About

  • About CT Mirror
  • Announcements
  • Board
  • Staff
  • Sponsors and Funders
  • Donors
  • Friends of CT Mirror
  • History
  • Financial
  • Policies
  • Strategic Plan

Opportunity

  • Advertising and Sponsorship
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Use of Photography
  • Work for Us

Go Deeper

  • Steady Habits Podcast
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Five Things

The Connecticut News Project, Inc. 1049 Asylum Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105. Phone: 860-218-6380

© Copyright 2021, The Connecticut News Project. All Rights Reserved. Website by Web Publisher PRO