Jefferson City ranks poorly on support for gays, lesbians

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri's capital city scored poorly in a recent ranking of cities evaluating which places offer the most support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people.

Jefferson City was one of just 10 cities nationwide that received a score of zero on the Human Rights Campaign's report, The Kansas City Star reported. The group advocates on behalf of the LGBT community.

The rankings are based on factors such as whether a city prohibits discrimination against gay and lesbian people, whether city services are offered to the LGBT community and whether the city has leaders who publicly support pro-equality legislation.

Jefferson City Mayor Carrie Tergin said she believes there aren't any ordinances about LGBT rights because there have been few issues in the city. Tergin said she recently recommended a LGBT-owned business for an award.

"As a mayor, I reflect the attitude that we respect each other, and we'll never tolerate discrimination," she said.

Tergin said the city is working to reform its Human Relations Commission to serve marginalized communities.

In the report, New York University professor Richard Florida wrote inclusiveness attracts residents and businesses.

"A growing body of research has shown that cities that have vibrant gay and lesbian communities have higher levels of income, life satisfaction, housing values, and emotional attachment to their community as well as higher concentrations of high-tech business," Florida wrote.

Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com