As expected, Brookings leads the state in the Human Rights Commission’s 2017 Municipal Equality Index. Equality South Dakota compiles the scorecards for the South Dakota communities rated on HRC’s 100-point scale for including LGBTQ inclusion in law and policy:
- Brookings: 72
- Sioux Falls: 63
- Vermillion: 27
- Spearfish: 21
- Rapid City: 19
- Aberdeen: 18
- Watertown: 18
- Pierre: 0
- Mitchell: 0
For the most part, South Dakota remains a hard place to live and love as one sees fit.
Equality South Dakota lists the policies that earned seven of our cities any points on the Municipal Equality Index:
Brookings was scored for having a human rights commission with enforcement mechanism; non-discrimination in city employment; trans-inclusive heathcare benefits; LGBTQ liaison in city executive’s office and the police department; anti-bullying school policies; city provided services to LGBTQ youth; hate crimes reporting; openly appointed LGBTQ leaders; and leadership on LGBTQ equality efforts.
Sioux Falls was scored for having a human rights commission with enforcement mechanism; non-discrimination in city employment; trans-inclusive heathcare benefits; LGBTQ liaison in city executive’s office and the police department; city provided services to people living with HIV or AIDS; hate crimes reporting; openly appointed LGBTQ leaders; and leadership on LGBTQ equality efforts.
Vermillion was scored for having non-discrimination in city employment; anti-bullying school policies; hate crimes reporting; and leadership on LGBTQ equality efforts.
Spearfish was scored for having non-discrimination in city employment; anti-bullying school policies; and hate crimes reporting..
Rapid City was scored for a human rights commission with enforcement mechanism; and hate crimes reporting.
Aberdeen was scored for anti-school bullying policies and hate crimes reporting.
Watertown was scored for non-discrimination in city employment and hate crimes reporting [Equality South Dakota, “MEI Scores for South Dakota Cities 2017,” 2017.10.20].
The low scores in most South Dakota towns reflects low support for LGBTQ inclusivity in state law. However, HRC lists a number of cities that, despite a lack of supportive state laws, still score perfect 100s on the MEI:
HRC lists Minnesota, Iowa, and Colorado among seventeen states with comprehensive LGBTQ protections. MEI 2017 scores in the eight listed Minnesota cities range from 47 in Bloomington to 100 in Minneapolis. The nine listed Iowa cities range from 67 in Waterloo to 100 in Cedar Rapids, Davenport, and Iowa City. (Sioux City scores 91.) Colorado’s nine listed cities range from 48 in Littleton to 100 in Denver.
South Dakota isn’t the worst place to be gay: Arkansas, Hawaii, Maine, Mississippi, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, and Wyoming have highest-scoring cities scoring below our high-score town of Brookings. Oklahoma and Wyoming have no place scoring above 50.