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Making Government Services Inclusive for LGBTQ+ People

Blog post authored by U.S. Digital Response discussing best practices for creating inclusive, accessible, and affirming government services for LGBTQ+ populations gleaned from their recent work in the City of Boston.

Organization: U.S. Digital Response (USDR)

Authors: Sunita Ram, Christine Brydges, Claire Crinion

Published Year: 2023

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LGBTQ+ people often experience discrimination and exclusion while using public services. The Boston City Council set out to change this by passing an ordinance in 2020 to ensure gender inclusivity in all City-issued forms, documents, and certificates. The City of Boston reached out to U.S Digital Response (USDR) to conduct user research and better understand the lived experience of LGBTQ+ people as they submit online applications and then visit City Hall to register their marriage. The research conducted helped unveil best practices for creating inclusive, accessible, and affirming government services for LGBTQ+ populations. These best practices are applicable across all public-facing government services.