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CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – A national LGBTQ advocacy group released its annual scorecards for 506 cities across the nation on their local equality efforts in policies, laws and services. This assessment included Clarksville, which scored a 17 out of 100.
The Human Rights Campaign created the Municipal Equality Index, or MEI, in 2011 to examine how inclusive municipal laws, policies and services are of LGBTQ people who live and work there.
Comparatively, the average score for cities in Tennessee was 36 out of the eight cities evaluated. Murfreesboro scored a 12, Franklin scored a 19, and Nashville scored the highest with 78 points.
The city responds
The MEI rates cities based on their nondiscrimination policies, the city as an employer, efforts of the city to include LGBTQ residents in city services and programs, the fairness of law enforcement regarding LGBTQ people, and city leadership’s public position on LGBTQ equality.