LGBTQ+ Equity Subcommittee#

In May 2016, City staff formed an LGBTQ+ committee—which has since transitioned into the PRIDE Employee Resource Group (ERG)—composed of staff and community liaisons. The goal of this team was to ensure our LGBTQ+ community is safe, valued and affirmed within the City organization and community at large.

During the years the LGBTQ+ Subcommittee was active, the team

• established liaisons in Police Services, Human Resources and the City Manager's Office
• attended collaborative meetings with Poudre School District, Northern Colorado Equality and One Colorado to help support transgender students in the school district
• issued a proclamation for Pride Month and Transgender Acceptance Month annually
• updated the City's purchasing policy to ensure that sexual orientation and gender identity are covered in all relevant non-discrimination clauses
• implemented gender neutral bathroom signage for the City's single-stall facilities
• championed the need for trans-inclusive healthcare benefits, which the City adopted in 2021.

The subcommittee also worked closely with the Human Rights Campaign to elevate the City's Municipal Equality Index (MEI) score, which evaluates cities on how inclusive and welcoming they are for LGBTQ+ people. Primarily due to the LGBTQ+ Subcommittee's efforts, the City's MEI score has risen from 83 (2018) to 100 (2021, 2022, 2023)!

• Read Fort Collins "Success Story" in the HRC's MEI Report
• Watch the committee receiving the Pride Month Proclamation (June 2018)
• HUD LGBTQ+ discrimination resources for housing, health and human services, employment, and more