Mayor Kasim Reed Thursday announced that the city of Atlanta has earned its third consecutive perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s 2015 Municipal Equality Index. The MEI rates 408 municipalities around the country on their local protections for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals. According to the report, perfect scores are earned by cities with exemplary non-discrimination laws, employee benefits and city services, as well as strong relationships with the LGBT community. Atlanta was once again the only Georgia municipality to receive a perfect score in the index.
“I am very proud of the city of Atlanta’s perfect score on this index because it reflects my commitment to keeping Atlanta welcoming and inclusive of all people,” said Mayor Reed. “Atlanta is known as ‘The City Too Busy to Hate,’ and my administration is dedicated to living up to that name in policy and practice.”
Mayor Reed’s commitment to advocacy on behalf of the Georgia LGBT community dates back to his time as a Georgia state senator, where he was a chief sponsor of an LGBT-inclusive hate crimes bill. Under the Reed Administration, the City of Atlanta maintains transgender-inclusive health insurance coverage for City employees. Mayor Reed also amended the city’s laws to include gender identity in all non-discrimination provisions.
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