{"id":2621184,"date":"2026-06-29T19:03:01","date_gmt":"2026-06-29T23:03:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/minneapolis-to-repeal-homophobic-bathhouse-ban\/"},"modified":"2026-06-29T19:06:00","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T23:06:00","slug":"minneapolis-to-repeal-homophobic-bathhouse-ban","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/minneapolis-to-repeal-homophobic-bathhouse-ban\/","title":{"rendered":"Minneapolis to repeal \u2018homophobic\u2019 bathhouse ban"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">12<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fminneapolis-to-repeal-homophobic-bathhouse-ban%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2621184&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The Minneapolis City Council approved the repeal of a longstanding ban on adult bathhouses, which was originally enacted during the AIDS epidemic in 1988 amidst concerns about health risks associated with anonymous sexual activity in these venues. The repeal aims to establish a licensing framework for legal operation of such bathhouses, allowing consenting adults to engage in sexual activities legally. Nine out of thirteen council members voted in favor, with only two opposing due to safety concerns, and the measure awaits final approval from the Mayor.<\/p>\n<p>Historically, the ban was supported by some gay community members, including the frist openly gay council member, Brian Coyle, who initially opposed but later voted for the ban after considering the health implications. Coyle&#8217;s decision was influenced by reports of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doj-budgets-200k-for-high-quality-arts-program-for-at-risk-justice-involved-youth\/\" title=\"DOJ Budgets 0k for &quot;High-Quality&quot; Arts Program for &quot;At-Risk Justice-Involved&quot; Youth\">high-risk behaviors<\/a> in bathhouses and the rise of HIV\/AIDS cases, which deeply impacted the gay community at the time.<\/p>\n<p>Supporters of the repeal view it as a victory for gay rights, arguing the original ban was rooted in homophobia. Critics, however, highlight safety concerns, though many argue that advances in medical treatment, such as PrEP, have reduced HIV risks significantly. The move reflects changing attitudes towards LGBTQ+ rights and public health policies, with the ordinance now under review by Mayor Jacob Frey.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Minneapolis\/\">Minneapolis<\/a> City Council has approved repealing what the all-Democrat municipal body says is a decades-old \u201chomophobic\u201d ban on adult bathhouses, an ordinance that was originally passed with the help of the city\u2019s first openly <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/LGBT\/\">gay<\/a> council member.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nine members of the 13-person city council <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/lims.minneapolismn.gov\/MarkedAgenda\/Council\/6084\">voted<\/a> on Thursday in favor of the repeal, which will <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/lims.minneapolismn.gov\/file\/2026-00265\">establish a licensing framework<\/a> for operating commercial bathhouses, where consenting adults can legally engage in sexual activity.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/healthcare\/4629563\/blue-states-sue-trump-administration-medicaid-work-requirements\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Blue states sue Trump administration over Medicaid work requirements<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/healthcare\/4627253\/healthcare-nonprofits-lobby-exemption-fraud-prevention\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Healthcare nonprofit groups lobby for exemption from HHS\u2019s fraud-prevention pilot program<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4624689\/federally-funded-gender-care-center-dubious-diagnoses-hormone-drugs\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Federally funded gender center \u2018under guise of care\u2019 uses dubious diagnoses for hormone drugs<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The repeal will also <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/lims.minneapolismn.gov\/File\/2026-00264\"><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >revise current health codes<\/a><\/a>, amending provisions pertaining to curbing the spread of contagious diseases, and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/lims.minneapolismn.gov\/File\/2026-00266\">add exemptions<\/a> to existing indecent conduct laws.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Proponents of the repeal celebrated its passage as a win for the gay rights movement, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mprnews.org\/story\/2026\/06\/25\/minneapolis-city-council-votes-repeal-ban-on-adult-bathhouses-sex-venues\">saying<\/a> that the citywide bathhouse ban was rooted in \u201chomophobia.\u201d But the ban, enacted during the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/aids\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"2171\">AIDS<\/a> epidemic in 1988, was supported by a contingent of gay men, including Councilman Brian Coyle, the first-known gay Minneapolis city councilor who later died of AIDS-related illnesses.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Historians say that Coyle, who had tested positive for HIV in 1986 but did not publicly disclose his diagnosis at the time, played an instrumental role in the bathhouse ban\u2019s passage.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At first, Coyle was firmly opposed to the bathhouse ban, but he later voted to impose it after carefully considering their health risks. According to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mprnews.org\/story\/2026\/04\/15\/how-minneapolis-banned-adult-bathhouses\">Coyle\u2019s personal papers<\/a> preserved at the Minnesota History Center, he weighed gay people\u2019s \u201csexual freedom\u201d against the threat of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-york-times-shocked-parents-oppose-porn-literacy-in-schools\/\" title=\"New York Times Shocked: Parents Oppose \u2018Porn Literacy\u2019 In Schools\">sexually transmitted diseases<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bathhouses were identified as hot spots for HIV transmission. The city\u2019s first positive HIV test came in 1982. By 1988, the year of the ban\u2019s enactment, 447 cases of AIDS were <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/digitalcommons.morris.umn.edu\/jmas\/vol54\/iss2\/11\/\">reported<\/a> to the Minnesota Department of Health, and 252 Minnesotans had died from AIDS-related complications.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat Good Are Gay Rights If We Were All Dead?\u201d Coyle titled one journal entry. In his notes, he said several \u201cdisturbing\u201d discoveries had changed his mind, particularly that gay men who frequent these bathhouses told him that many patrons were having high-risk, anonymous sex there.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3386582\/biden-administration-millions-studies-programs-homosexuality\/\"><strong>BIDEN ADMINISTRATION SPENT MILLIONS ON STUDIES AND PROGRAMS RELATED TO \u2018MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN\u2019<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Coyle kept a letter from a coalition of concerned gay constituents, urging the city council to close the city\u2019s bathhouses or at least regulate them to make the businesses \u201cless hazardous and lethal.\u201d In their letter, titled \u201cA Moral Obligation,\u201d they warned the council that 315 Health Club, the most popular bathhouse downtown, was \u201ca high-risk environment for the spread of the deadly AIDS virus in our community.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Days before he cast his vote, Coyle was <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/startribune.newspapers.com\/newspage\/191540251\/\">quoted<\/a> in the <em>Minnesota Star Tribune<\/em>, indicating that the gravity of the situation for gay men swayed him to support the ban, despite how unpopular his move would be among the ordinance\u2019s opponents.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFor me, this is not easy,\u201d Coyle said in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/startribune.newspapers.com\/newspage\/191540714\/\">the article<\/a> dated March 30, 1988. \u201cI have some people who won\u2019t speak to me. This is one of those tougher issues because it\u2019s so emotionally laden and passionate. It deals with the stuff of life and death. I\u2019ve been taking the flak on it for months.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On April 1 of that year, the Minneapolis City Council, joined by Coyle, voted 11-0 to ban all bathhouses within city limits.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Councilman Jason Chavez, the repeal ordinance\u2019s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/lims.minneapolismn.gov\/Download\/FileV2\/54492\/Adult-Bathhouses-and-Adult-Entertainment-Amendments-Authors-Presentation.pdf\">co-author<\/a>, claimed last week that Coyle would have backed his reversal efforts if he were still alive.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI believe if Brian Coyle was here with us today, with everything we know about public health, he would be standing with us proudly and me on this council,\u201d Chavez <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mprnews.org\/story\/2026\/06\/25\/minneapolis-city-council-votes-repeal-ban-on-adult-bathhouses-sex-venues\">said<\/a> in the city council chambers ahead of the vote.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chavez, who describes himself as the only out LGBT member of the city council, argued that Coyle was \u201cmaking decisions in the middle of a crisis\u201d and did not have access to today\u2019s medical advancements. HIV has far lower fatality rates than 38 years ago, thanks to preventive medication such as PrEP.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI have deep respect for Brian Coyle, and I know when he did this vote it was because of an epidemic that was impacting my community,\u201d Chavez said. \u201cBut at the same time, there were folks who supported the efforts to ban this because of homophobia, because they did not believe in the existence of LGBTQ+ people.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Only two councilors objected to the repeal, citing safety concerns. One other member was absent at Thursday\u2019s vote, while Councilman Jamal Osman, a practicing Muslim who has been <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/minnesotareformer.com\/2022\/12\/20\/exclusive-minneapolis-councilman-jamal-osman-apologizes-for-anti-gay-antisemitic-posts\/\">previously outspoken<\/a> against same-sex marriage, abstained.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The repeal measure, headed to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey\u2019s desk for a final sign-off, remains under mayoral review as of Monday. Frey <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mprnews.org\/story\/2026\/06\/18\/minneapolis-bathhouse-ban-public-hearings-draw-support-for-repeal\">told<\/a> <em>MPR News<\/em> he supports overturning the ban but that it is not a top priority.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Minneapolis Council approves repeal of homophobic bathhouse ban<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3767,"featured_media":2621185,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26029721138058.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[81929,56516,45424,81930,6772],"class_list":["post-2621184","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-bathhouse-ban","tag-lgbtq-rights-2","tag-lgbtq-advocacy","tag-local-legislation","tag-minneapolis"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26029721138058.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2621184","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3767"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2621184"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2621184\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2621193,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2621184\/revisions\/2621193"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2621185"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2621184"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2621184"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2621184"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}