• Municipal Equity Index scorecard rates large American cities based on non-discrimination laws, policies as city and an employer, law enforcement and leadership on LGBTQ+ equality.
• Mayor says rating is a reflection of Detroit being a city that values all people
• Lesa Kent, Civil Rights Manager II, Civil Rights, Inclusion & Opportunity and Corporal Danni Woods, LGBT Liaison, Office of Workplace and Community Resiliency, Detroit Police Department are available for media interviews.

The City of Detroit has received its 10th consecutive 100 score (maximum) on the 2025 Human Rights Campaign Municipal Equity Index (MEI) scoreboard.  Each year, the Human Rights Campaign publishes the MEI which evaluates more than 500 cities nationally on their inclusivity laws and policies for the LGBTQ+ community.  Since 2016, Detroit has earned the maximum score of 100 points, which is the most any city can be awarded.  This year, only 5 other cities in Michigan also received perfect scores. 

The city earned all 100 possible base points for offering services for LGBTQ+ Youth and for having openly LGBTQ+ appointed members of City government. A city’s final score, however, cannot exceed 100. MEI’s base point system.

“The Detroit we have built together is one that values and welcomes all people,” said Mayor Mike Duggan. “We work every day to strengthen our support members of the LGBTQ+ community and 10 consecutive perfect scores on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equity Index reflects our dedication.”

“This is crucial work. Our mission to protect civil rights and promote inclusion and opportunity rings true even more today. It’s so much more than advocacy. It’s about maintaining an environment where everyone is respected. We anticipate this work will continue its impact and serve as a playbook for all we do every day – especially for marginalized communities,” said Anthony Zander, Director of Civil Rights, Inclusion & Opportunity.

“It is the efforts of the LGBTQ Liaison, department members, advocates, organizations and our community that have collaboratively worked to train, discuss and effect positive change to bring us to this point,” said Corporal Danni Woods, LGBT Liaison, Office of Workplace and Community Resiliency, Detroit Police Department.

“We have the only MCOLES certified LGBTQ Sensitivity, Awareness, and Competency Training in the state of Michigan and work tirelessly to ensure our officers are trained and equipped to engage our LGBTQ+ citizens. With support from our Mayor’s office and State leaders, Detroit represents the “True Grit” of working hard towards continuing to build an inclusive city. Equality across the board is the finish line and the mission continues, with all the components combined we will reach our goal,” added Woods.

Per the Human Rights Campaign, MEI evaluates and scores cities based on the following categories:

Non-Discrimination Laws: This category evaluates whether discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity is prohibited by the city, country or state in areas of employment, housing and public accommodations.

Municipality as Employer: By offering equivalent benefits and protections to LGBTQ+ employees, awarding contracts to fair-minded businesses, and taking steps to ensure an inclusive workplace, municipalities commit themselves to treating LGBTQ+ employees equally.

Municipal Services: This section assesses the efforts of the city to ensure LGBTQ+ residents are included in city services and programs.

Law Enforcement: Enforcement of the law includes responsible reporting of hate crimes and engaging with the LGBTQ+ community in a thoughtful and respectful way.

Leadership on LGBTQ+ Equality: This category measures the city leadership’s commitment to fully include the LGBTQ+ community and to advocate for full equality.

Detroit seeks to continue to lead the way in establishing policies that ensure the fair treatment of LGBTQ+ residents.

"I am so proud to serve a municipality that not only sets the standard but lives its values every single day, said Lesa Kent, Civil Rights Manager. Detroit continues to demonstrate what it means to lead with integrity, ensuring that equity is not just a principle that we champion but a practice we uphold,” Kent added.

About Human Rights Campaign:

The Human Rights Campaign has spent 40 years creating the most powerful movement for equality the country has ever seen. But despite this progress, their most marginalized are still suffering from violence, discrimination, and fear. The goal is to ensure that all LGBTQ+ people, and particularly those who are trans, people of color and HIV+, are treated as full and equal citizens within our movement, across our country and around the world.

Learn more here - hrc.org/resources/standards-for-credit-on-the-mei.