For the second year in a row, the city of New Haven has received the highest score possible on a measure of LGBTQ+ inclusion and equality.
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Municipal Equality Index “examines how inclusive municipal laws, policies, and services are of LGBTQ+ people who live and work there,” according to the nonprofit.
Mayor Justin Elicker gathered Wednesday with members of the local LGBTQ+ community to celebrate the result – and vow further work to become even more inclusive and equitable.
“We champion LGBTQ+ equity because it's the right thing,” Elicker said. “It's a proud day for New Haven that we were acknowledged by some other very high-level organization that takes a lot of care to give the right grades to people. It means not only that we're doing the right thing, but also that we have more work to do.”
Hope Chávez, board co-chair at the New Haven Pride Center, said the city has been receptive to the community’s requests and needs.
“I’m really grateful that we live in that kind of city,” Chávez said. “That has not been my entire lived experience. I’m from Texas, and that is not something I could have counted on as a kid, that my local government would be sitting down at the table with the local LGBTQ+ leaders.”
“This is something to remain as a bar for us to continue to uphold and to reach every time, not a time for us to rest on our laurels,” Chávez said.
Elicker said the city could, and should, improve upon its services for trans youth.
“I think we can be more systematic in our New Haven public schools about ensuring that they have the kind of resources that our young people may need,” Elicker said.
The mayor also said the city could do more to ensure access to gender-affirming health care for trans young people in light of major health care institutions shutting down their programs.
Reia Massaro, a nurse practitioner at Anchor Health, which operates LGBTQ+ health centers, said the city’s postures and policies make a difference for the community.
“It’s critical now more than ever that our cities stand with us, and New Haven continues to set the standard in inclusivity as we fight to end the HIV epidemic, liberate trans health care, and ensure everyone has access to the health care that they need,” Massaro said.
Elicker also acknowledged anti-LGBTQ+ action from the Trump administration.
“Local government is so important at this moment, because at a time when the federal government is playing such an aggressive and, frankly, sad role in attacking people just based on who they are, local government can stand up and do what we can to help ensure that we protect our values and protect our community,” Elicker said.
“I anticipate that the Trump administration will attempt to attack public education when we are providing resources and support for our trans community in particular,” the mayor said. “We will work like we have in many other issues to defend our community if they attempt to take resources from us because of the policies that we have in our New Haven public schools.”
