The City of Covington has once again moved up on the Human Rights Campaign's LGBTQ Municipal Equality Index.
Last year, the city scored a 94 out of 100 — jumping 20 points from a score of 74 in 2018.
This year, they've moved up two points to a 96 out of 100, making them second in the state behind Louisville, which scored a 100.
The index measures cities based on their non-discrimination laws, employment practices, inclusion when it comes to city services and programs, community engagement and response to potential hate crimes by law enforcement and how city leadership publicly supports equality for members of the LGBTQ community.
“This is evidence of our long-standing commitment to equality and inclusion,” Mayor Joe Meyer said. “We are proud of being a welcoming community.”
According to a press release, the average score across the 506 American cities assessed this year was 64, and Covington says their two-point increase is due to "aggressive efforts to institutionalize and codify the City’s work on diversity."
This year, Covington passed an ordinance that bans discrimination by city contractors for sexual orientation and gender identity; they banned conversion therapy for minors; and a new NKY Pride Center opened (it will officially open it's literal doors to the public when COVID allows).
In an interview with CityBeat in June, Bonnie Meyer, co-chair of the NKY Pride Center, said: “What we hope to provide, through the NKY Pride Center, is additional efforts to promote equity and inclusion across the region, while also providing community-based services. We’re working with partners across Northern Kentucky to offer things like cultural and social opportunities.”
In 2003, Covington passed an ordinance that "added sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes, prohibiting discrimination within the areas of employment, housing, public accommodations, resort and amusement." Since then, six other cities in Campbell County have done the same; none in Kenton or Boone have.
“Talent is the most important thing to companies we are trying to attract to Covington,” Covington's Economic Development Director Tom West said. “And this score and the welcoming environment it represents are vital to attracting the talented workers companies need to compete. We could not be more proud of the community we are representing to the business world.”
View Covington's scorecard at hrc.org.
