Why State College earned a perfect equality index score for LGBTQ community protections. Again.
State College remains among the most inclusive areas in the country when it comes to LGBTQ community protections, based upon a report issued Thursday by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.
For the second straight year, State College earned a perfect score on the foundation’s Municipality Equality Index, which measures the inclusivity of municipal laws, policies and services for the LGBTQ community. The borough is one of 94 spots across the country to earn a perfect score and joins Allentown, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh as the only Pennsylvania cities and municipalities to receive a 100.
The national average is a score of 64.
“As an LGBTQ member, openly gay myself, I’m very proud of the accomplishments that we’ve made to ensure that our LGBTQ citizens and visitors to the State College community feel welcome,” said Kevin Kassab, State College’s director of the Office of Community Engagement and a member of the borough’s LGBTQ Advisory Committee. “And it’s a real honor to be able to hit that score of 100.”
Kassab and his team members — such as community engagement specialist Natalie Vercillo — have been instrumental in helping develop policies and initiatives to improve State College’s standing with the LGBTQ community. Before the creation of the advisory committee in 2018, State College earned a score of 73 in the equality index — but, since then, has received scores of 98, 100 and 100.
And that’s a reason for celebration beyond members of the LGBTQ community.
“I think it is an indication that the borough as an organization is supportive of all of our citizens and visitors whatever their race, religion, gender identification or sexual identity,” Mayor Ron Filippelli said, “contrary to some of the unfounded criticism that it sometimes receives.”
Since 2018, the borough has been busy making the area a more welcoming place. Among its accomplishments: increasing the number of gender-neutral bathrooms, implementing an all-inclusive workplace policy, ensuring domestic partners of borough employees receive work and health benefits, hanging Pride banners downtown, banning conversion therapy for minors and establishing a liaison for the LGBTQ community in Kassab.
The Municipality Equality Index rates 506 cities across the country on 49 different criteria. Those criteria fall under five categories: Non-discrimination laws, municipality as an employer, municipal services, law enforcement and leadership on LGBTQ equality. There are also opportunities for bonus points, such as having an openly LGBTQ elected or appointed leader (+2) or providing services to people living with HIV or AIDS (+2).
State College actually finished with 102 points out of 100, thanks to those bonus points, although the foundation does not allow for scores to exceed 100.
“These cities are sending a strong message that our lives, our families and our community are valuable and valued,” Alphonso David, president of the Human Rights Campaign, said in a written statement, referring to areas like State College. “This year’s Municipal Equality Index underscores the importance that mayors and local officials play in creating safe and inclusive communities — even if there has been a lack of leadership at the federal level.”
The lone blemish on State College’s scorecard actually came as a result of a misunderstanding, or technicality. The lone criterion State College received no points on was for not having transgender-inclusive health benefits — which, Kassab said, the borough does have. The foundation just requires such language to be included in its insurance handbook, which it is currently not. So the borough anticipates fixing that next year.
Because the borough earned eight bonus points, the blemish didn’t affect State College’s final score.
Other Pennsylvania cities and municipalities that received scores include Allentown (100), Carlisle (86), Erie (80), Harrisburg (69), New Hope (89), Philadelphia (100), Pittsburgh (100), Reading (91) and Wilkes-Barre (90). The average score for Pennsylvania cities was a 90, more than 25 points above the national average.
The Municipality Equality Index rates 50 state capitals, the country’s 200 largest cities, the five largest cities or municipalities in each state, the cities home to the state’s two largest public universities, 75 municipalities that have high proportions of same-sex couples and 98 cities selected by foundation members and supporters.
“State College is a great community,” Kassab added. “That’s the bottom line.”
