~ Mayor Tishaura O. Jones welcomed the Human Rights Campaign to St. Louis to release its annual Municipal Equality Index (MEI) scorecard, which evaluates 506 cities nationwide on how inclusive their laws, policies, and services are of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) people. For the twelfth year in a row, the City of St. Louis scored a 100 -- the highest ranking possible.

Mayor Jones expressed her support for the LGBTQIA+ community in light of recent attacks from the Missouri legislature and Attorney General. "We have not wavered in our dedication to supporting and protecting our community," she said. "I am proud to once again score 100 on this year's MEI."

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The 2023 score highlights many aspects of being an LGBTQIA+ inclusive city such as established non-discrimination laws for sexuality and gender identity, inclusive health benefits for transgender employees, and benefits for same-sex domestic partners. The City also received bonus points for having elected and appointed LGBTQIA+ leaders as well as pushing back against restrictive state laws.

The Human Rights Campaign reported that this year's average MEI score went up by two points with a record breaking 129 cities scoring 100 – the highest possible score they can get. The full Municipal Equality Index report can be found at hrc.org/mei.

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