Through rain and lightning, OutFront Minnesota and other LGBTQ+ activists organized the “Protect our Trans Refugee State” rally outside the Minnesota State Capitol building on Thursday.
About 30 people attended the rally in St. Paul adorned with signs showing support for LGTQ+ rights and umbrellas for the rainy weather. The rally was designed to show support for a 2022 law that instructed state officials to disregard out-of-state laws targeting transgender youth who obtained gender-affirming care and their parents.
Minnesota House Rep. Leigh Finke, the first transgender person elected to the Minnesota Legislature, said the rally was a way for the trans community to make their voices heard.
“I just want there to be an opportunity for trans people and the trans community to speak for ourselves,” Finke said. “And it’s more difficult than it should be for trans people to get to have the mic and to say our own piece and to be able to speak for our own communities.”
While LGBTQ+ activists have made gains in states like Minnesota, activists argue that more needs to be done. According to a 2023 FBI report, anti-LGBTQ+ and Anti-Trans hate crimes increased by 32% from 2021 to 2022.
With the election two weeks away, transgender issues are still on the political scene.
Former President and current Republican candidate for President Donald Trump, as well as other Republican groups, have spent around 33% of their ads on anti-LGBTQ+ commercials, reported ABC News.
“We’ve seen an uptick in direct acts of violence even here in Minnesota over this last year,” said Kat Rohn, the executive director of the OutFront organization. “But moreover, what we’re seeing is a lot of impacts on people’s mental health. So right now about 90% of trans adults in this country are expressing fear or anxiety about the future political landscape.”
Singer and transgender activist Ryan Cassata, who attended the Thursday rally, said gender-affirming care saved his life. Cassata said the election will have a major impact on the trans community and people’s ability to access gender-affirming care.
While Minnesota has laws protecting access to gender-affirming care, many conservative states have taken a different stance. In 2024, many Republican-led state legislatures introduced bills to further restrict transgender youth’s access to gender-affirming care, according to reporting by AP News.
Nearly half of all U.S. states have laws restricting best-practice medication and surgical care for transgender youth, according to data from the Movement Advanced Project. Of those states, six make it a felony crime to provide care to transgender youth, according to the same data.
Cassata said queer youth who have anxiety about the upcoming election should practice self-care and use this moment to take action politically.
“I’m hoping people will use their fear and, and put it into wanting to go out and vote,” Cassata said.