SF Human Rights Commission also recognized for its advocacy related to violence prevention in the Trans Community and for overall programming & advocacy related to empowering City’s LGBT community
(San Francisco, CA) The Human Rights Campaign, the largest national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, recently released its Municipal Equality Index (MEI) scorecard awarding the City and County of San Francisco with a perfect score of 100. The MEI is a nationwide evaluation of 408 cities that scores how inclusive a city is related to its LGBT community. The scorecard reviews a city’s non-discrimination laws and how they may benefit the LGBT community, the efforts of law enforcement toward preventing/reducing crimes against LGBT individuals, the existence and level of LGBT programming and services provided by the municipality and the effectiveness of city leadership toward advancing greater LGBT equality.
The Human Rights Campaign also recognized the San Francisco Human Rights Commission (SFHRC) for its contribution in boosting San Francisco’s score. The agency was cited for its groundbreaking efforts aimed at preventing Anti-Transgender violence and reducing the vast disparities faced by members of the Transgender community. The SFHRC was also praised for its outstanding programming and advocacy aimed at empowering the overall LGBT community in the City. At the fore-front of this programming and advocacy is the agency’s Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender Community Action Committee “LGBTAC” which advises the Commission and City leadership on critical issues impacting the LGBT community in San Francisco. The “LGBTAC” is also known for its annual programming, advocacy and putting forth innovative public policy initiatives that are often considered “best practices” and have been replicated throughout the U.S. and internationally.
Theresa Sparks, Executive Director of the SF-HRC noted, “The City and County of San Francisco and the SF-HRC continue to be committed to promoting equality and acceptance for all people. This high Municipal Equality Index score reflects both the City and the SF-HRC’s long standing legacy of being on the fore-front in the fight against all forms of intolerance and prejudice, not just for the LGBT community but for all the City’s diverse communities. The SF-HRC takes great pride in our on-going LGBT advocacy and policy development which acts as a foundation to San Francisco’s position as one of the Country’s most inclusive cities that embraces and celebrates the LGBT community.”
Some of the critical programming and advocacy that led to San Francisco’s high score on the MEI is highlighted in a 2015 Report commissioned by the Human Rights Campaign and the Trans People of Color Coalition (TPOCC) entitled “Addressing Anti-Transgender Violence.” Noting, “The City of San Francisco has distinguished itself as a national leader when it comes to addressing the needs of the Transgender Community.” The Report goes on to highlight the City’s trans-inclusive universal healthcare; the allocation of $2 million in funding to local service providers for programs working specifically with transgender residents; the creation of programs to support transgender women of color in prison and to help facilitate their reentry into society following incarceration and taking direct aim at the issues of anti-transgender street violence and domestic violence. The SF-HRC was cited for its contribution to the publication of the “LGBTQI Community Violence Assessment Report” and administrating other related violence prevention programs.
A copy of the referenced report may be found on the Human Rights Campaign webpage at http://hrc-assets.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com//files/assets/resources/HRC-AntiTransgenderViolence-0519.pdf
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