How LGBTQ+ rights advocates in Minnesota are preparing for a second Trump administration

Minnesota’s status as a “trans refuge” state may be tested next year as President-elect Donald Trump begins his second term as president.

“The left wing gender insanity being pushed on our children is an act of child abuse, very simple,” Trump said in a video released on his official website during his campaign. “On day one, I will revoke Joe Biden’s cruel policies on so-called gender-affirming care.”

The American Psychological Association says research shows gender-affirming care has a positive impact on the psychological wellbeing of transgender people.

Only about one percent of Americans are transgender. But trans rights became a right-wing talking point during the 2024 presidential campaign.

MPR News host Nina Moini talked with Kat Rohn, executive director of OutFront Minnesota, an organization that advocates for LGBTQ+ people in the state.

Rohn said that OutFront has received an uptick in calls and emails from trans people trying to make sense of what this means for health care and asking if they should move to Minnesota.

“Folks are expressing a lot of concern about just their general safety in the world at large and we are hearing that from every community in the state,” they said.

While the nation is likely to see rollbacks in LGBTQ+ protections, Rohn said that Minnesota does have robust state-based protections and emphasized the Minnesota Human Rights Act that was amended in 1993 to add sexual orientation as a protected class.

According to Gender Justice, Minnesota was the first to enact a state-level law that banned discrimination against transgender people. The amendment was led by Minnesota’s first openly gay state legislators, Allan Spear and Karen Clark.

Rohn said their priorities ahead of the Trump administration is to add additional therapists to their helpline, increase community care spaces and have accurate information on policy changes and concerns easily available.

“We are better prepared for this than we were in 2016 or past administrations where we’ve had shifts in governance,” they said. “Our community is strong and we will hold each other through this even if there are challenges to access or protections.”

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

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