Worst places in america to be gay

There were, however, several shocking entries on the 10 least LGBTQ-friendly cities in the U.S. The Worst States for LGBTQ+ Safety Thirteen states received failing grades on our LGBTQ+ safety report card, with four of the worst five scores located in the nation’s Deep South (joined by Utah out west).

According to HRC's report, there are also practical reasons for cities to promote greater equality. Indeed, the largest of these was Laredo, Texas, which had less than , residents and was just the 81st largest city in the U. Four of the cities with the lowest scores had populations of less than , Conversely, six of America's 10 most populous cities had perfect scores.

According to HRC's report, 15 of the 38 cities with perfect scores are in states with restrictive laws — in this case, policies that make it harder for cities to pass laws that foster inclusivity. You know people, and it's not acceptable to have your neighbor discriminated against.

The Worst (and Best) Places to Be Gay in America By Frank Bruni If the Trump administration won’t protect gay people, we’re at the mercy of our ZIP codes. Currently, the state is appealing the ruling. Still, there are many parts of the U. Four cities received scores of 0, indicating that they lacked any of the policies or initiatives identified by HRC as being supportive of LGBT equality.

There may be less drive among the local LGBT community to improve the city's policies, however, because both Dallas and Fort Worth are within commuting distance. Almost half of US states have been rated in the worst category for LGBTQ+ equality, according to a new report ranking civil rights.

These categories are: non-discrimination laws, relationship recognition, the municipality as an employer, municipal services, law enforcement, and the city's relationship with the LGBT community. Ten years ago, gay marriage was explicitly legal in just one state — Massachusetts.

HRC assigned scores based on six broad categories, each consisting of multiple policy-based variables. According to research from the Pew Research Center, same-sex marriage is legal or will soon be legal in 35 states, as well as the District of Columbia. Earlier, we highlighted the 15 most LGBTQ-friendly cities in the U.S.

and there were few surprises. While Southaven does not provide any of the policies or programs recommended by HRC, an imminent court decision may place the future of Mississippi's same-sex marriage ban in doubt. Cities could also earn bonus points outside the standard points awarded, as state laws and size restraints can prevent some cities from enacting all policies endorsed by HRC.

Data from the ACS used here are collected over three years, from to Southaven is one of just four cities scoring zero on the Municipal Equality Index, and the only city in Mississippi to receive the lowest possible rating. Across the United States, cities are increasingly embracing equal treatment and access for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender LGBT Americans.

South Dakota ranked last in our previous report but inched out of the bottom five this time, leaving the title of least safe state to. However, the future of Texas' ban on gay marriage is currently up in the air. The cities with the lowest scores on the Municipal Equality Index, incomes are lower than across the U.

Just one of these cities, Southaven, Mississippi, had a higher level of household income than the U. A similar pattern exists for home values, which were lower in each of the 10 least LGBT-friendly cities than the U. Most of the cities with the lowest scores are quite small.

However, experts also predict the state will seek a stay from the appellate court, delaying the effect of the judge's decision. One reason cities are taking the lead on LGBT equality, according to Oakley, is the greater role of personal connections at the local level. Irving received zero points out of on the Municipal Equality Index, tying for the lowest score nationwide.

In February, a federal judge ruled that the state's ban on gay marriage was unconstitutional. Both these cities received very high scores on the index — 91 and 83 respectively — and were among the top quartile of all cities reviewed by HRC. In , residents of Lubbock "voted heavily in favor of Proposition 2, which defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman," according to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal.

Irving was one of just four cities — three of them in Texas — without a single point. Several legal scholars contacted by The Clarion-Ledger stated that they expected a U. District Court judge would block the law and allow same-sex marriages to take place.