After receiving a zero on a survey last year regarding protections to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, Jefferson City bumped up its 2018 score.
Jefferson City received a 20, out of 100, on the 2018 “Municipality Equality Index,” compiled by the Human Rights Campaign, which advocates and lobbies for the LGBT community. The index ranks more than 500 cities in the country and is based on several criteria including non-discrimination laws, municipality employment policies, inclusiveness in city services, law enforcement and municipal leadership on matters of equality.
The city specifically improved in the “municipality as employer,” “municipal services” and “leadership on LGBTQ equality” categories. A large chunk of that score is due to the revitalization of the Jefferson City Commission on Human Relations.
“The 20 is a huge improvement from last year … but there is still room for improvement,” commission chairman Mitchell Woodrum said.
One project Woodrum hopes the commission can pursue is improving the verbiage in an anti-discrimination policy for city employees. While the city follows an anti-discrimination policy, he added, “it’s just not there in words or in city code or the laws that protect city employees.”
The commission also plans to work with the city, HRC and PROMO, a nonprofit organization in Missouri that advocates for the LGBT community, to improve the score, he said.
“Hopefully every year (the index) comes out, we continue to improve more,” Woodrum said.
Jefferson City did not fill out the survey last year, Woodrum said previously, which is why the municipality received a zero.
Jefferson City was one of eight Missouri cities listed in the report. Columbia and St. Louis received perfect scores. Other Missouri cities and their scores are: Kansas City, 97; St. Charles, 39; Springfield, 19; Independence, 18; and Cape Girardeau, zero.
Jefferson City revived its Human Relations Commission last year following the low index score, as well as after a racially insensitive photo involving local students circulated on social media that led to several diversity-driven meetings.