LGBTQ+
The City of Tucson is a Welcoming Community allowing equality for all residents and is dedicated to fostering acceptance of all of its citizens and preventing discrimination and bullying based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
This City is strengthened by the rich diversity of ethnic, cultural, racial, gender and sexual identities of its residents, all of which contribute to its vibrant character. It is imperative that the residents and employees of the City of Tucson, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, feel valued, safe, empowered and supported by their peers, co-workers, educators and community leaders.
In 2020, the City of Tucson earned a score of 100 in the latest survey from the Human Rights Campaign, which works for LGBTQ+ equal rights. The Municipal Equality Index(PDF, 91KB) (MEI) examines the laws, policies, and services of municipalities, rating them on the basis of how they affect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (and/or questioning) people who live and work there. Some of the categories include non-discrimination laws, municipal services, and local governments' relationships with the LGBTQ community.
In 2017, OEOP and the City of Tucson were honored as the recipient of the annual Diversity Leadership Alliance award presented by the Arizona State office of the Society for Human Resources Management. This award recognized the City for outstanding diversity and inclusion efforts as well as our focus on comprehensive employee training in those areas. See the award information below.
Anti-Discrimination
The Office of Equal Opportunity Programs (OEOP) investigates complaints of discrimination within the city limits of Tucson in:
- Employment
- Public accommodation
- Housing (Source of Income)
Detailed information about your rights and filing a complaint can be found on our Chapter 17 Discrimination page here.
The Tucson Commission on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues (GLBT) acts as the official advisory body to the Mayor and Council on GLBT issues for the City. More information can be found here.
Ways to Be an Ally and Friend to LGBTQ+ Persons
- Be a listener.
- Be open-minded.
- Be willing to talk.
- Be inclusive and invite LGBTQ+ friends to visit with your friends and family.
- Don't assume that all your friends and co-workers are straight. Someone close to you could be looking for support in their coming-out process. Not making assumptions will give them the space they need.
- Anti-LGBTQ+ comments and jokes are harmful. Let your friends, family and co-workers know that you find them offensive.
- Confront your own prejudices and bias, even if it is uncomfortable to do so.
- Defend your LGBTQ+ friends against discrimination.
- Believe that all people, regardless of gender identity and sexual orientation, should be treated with dignity and respect.
- If you have questions, ask respectfully or do some research. Your time will be well spent and your efforts appreciated.
Understanding Pronouns
Pronouns are integral to who we are, and we share pronouns because we want to avoid assuming someone's pronouns based on factors like appearance. By sharing our own pronouns routinely, we encourage others to do the same and demonstrate that we understand the importance of sharing pronouns. Using someone’s correct pronouns is an important way of affirming someone’s identity and is a fundamental step in being an ally.
Common pronouns include she/her/hers, he/him/his, and they/them/theirs. There are other nonbinary pronouns. It is important to ask people what their pronouns are. If you have questions, politely ask the person to give examples of how to use the pronouns.
“Chris is my friend. They are a great colleague and identify as non-binary. I really like them. My office is next to theirs.”
More information about pronoun usage can be found here.
Other LGBTQ+ related information: