Equality Act<\/a>, a federal bill that would ban discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in employment, housing, education, public services and other key areas of life. <\/b><\/p>\n\u201cIn these challenging times, our work with the Municipal Equality Index and the leadership of these municipalities has never been more critical,\u201d Robinson said.<\/p>\n
Hoboken Mayor, Ravi S. Bhalla was pleased with the city\u2019s ranking, saying the score reflects its values and its resolve at a time of heightened national debate over LGBTQ+ rights.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs gender affirming care, same sex marriage, and workplace protections continue to be attacked on the federal level, it has never been more critical to continue to stand firm in our beliefs to uplift and protect our LGBTQ+ community members,\u201d Bhalla said.<\/p>\n
Hoboken\u2019s LGBTQ+ Community Liaison Laura Knittel noted that the city has been intentional about building a supportive environment over many years.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor over a decade, Hoboken has built a community rooted in inclusivity, where respect and understanding grow,\u201d she said, adding that Hoboken has become a refuge for families seeking safety and affirmation, particularly those with transgender children.<\/p>\n
Officials in neighboring Jersey City were pleased with its ranking as well, noting that it has expanded its LGBTQ+ programming with new employee training and business recognition.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe provide sensitivity training for city employees and the public,\u201d said Jeana Abuan, who helps lead the city\u2019s LGBTQ+ programming. \u201cWe\u2019ve worked to ensure LGBTQ-owned businesses are recognized as an important part of Jersey City\u2019s DEI efforts. We also honor days of significance, like Transgender Day of Visibility, and host events such as flag-raisings and community programs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Abuan said the city is especially proud of its efforts to uplift local leaders.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis year, we highlighted key individuals who have made meaningful contributions to the LGBTQ community and presented them with certificates recognizing their impact,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Asbury Park Deputy Mayor Amy Quinn said the community\u2019s LGBTQ+ ties stretch back generations.<\/p>\n
\u201cAsbury Park has a very long history with the LGBTQ community, going all the way back to the 1960s,\u201d Quinn said. \u201cWe performed the first same-sex marriages in 2000, and again in 2005, even though they weren\u2019t yet legal. Then, in 2015, I became one of the first people to legally marry here \u2014 I\u2019m a lesbian, and I got married right on the Asbury Park boardwalk.\u201d<\/p>\n
Quinn said the city\u2019s character and culture continue to reinforce its reputation as a welcoming place. LGBTQ-owned businesses remain a cornerstone of Asbury Park\u2019s identity, including the dance club Paradise and Georgies bar, remain a cornerstone of Asbury Park\u2019s identity, including the dance club Paradise and Georgies bar.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll of it reflects our ongoing commitment to ensuring that LGBTQ people feel welcome,\u201d she said, \u201cnot just when they work for Asbury Park, but anytime they step foot in our city.\u201d<\/p>\n
Garden State Equality, an organization dedicated to LGBTQ+ advocacy and education, is headquartered in Asbury Park and stands as an example of the city\u2019s long-standing inclusivity.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a statewide organization, Garden State Equality (GSE) travels the whole of our beautiful, diverse state, and we have chosen our headquarters location very carefully,\u201d said Lauren Albrecht, senior director of Advocacy at Garden State Equality.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile no place on this planet has proven to be failsafe for queer people, we have given our confidence to the community and leadership here in Asbury Park, and we do not offer that lightly. Congratulations to the whole of Asbury Park \u2014 the residents, the businesses, and the government, for earning this score.\u201d<\/p>\n
Quinn and Albrecht\u2019s local affirmations echo a broader message resonating across the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are still more of us who support equality than those who do not,\u201d Robinson said. \u201cI commend each and every city that fought against tall odds to show their continued support of our community.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Volunteers, from left, Layla Orlando, Patrick Byrne, Sonia Marte-Dublin and Larissa Garcia help paint the Pride crosswalk in…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":438278,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5122],"tags":[5229,32521,405,403,5226,5225,5228,5227,67,586,132,5230,68,2969],"class_list":{"0":"post-438277","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-new-york","8":"tag-america","9":"tag-jersey-city","10":"tag-new-york","11":"tag-new-york-city","12":"tag-newyork","13":"tag-newyorkcity","14":"tag-ny","15":"tag-nyc","16":"tag-united-states","17":"tag-united-states-of-america","18":"tag-unitedstates","19":"tag-unitedstatesofamerica","20":"tag-us","21":"tag-usa"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115696377908326107","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/438277","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=438277"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/438277\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/438278"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=438277"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=438277"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=438277"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![\"Pride](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/EIRNYHFB3NCSBBAKXOOT6B3OXU.JPG\")
Volunteers, from left, Layla Orlando, Patrick Byrne, Sonia Marte-Dublin and Larissa Garcia help paint the Pride crosswalk in Jersey City.Reena Rose Sibayan | The Jersey Journal<\/p>\n