Minneapolis Considers Legalizing Bathhouses

By: Paul Goldberg – Senior Correspondent | LGBT Politics USA

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — (April 12, 2026) — A major policy debate is unfolding in the Midwest after news broke this week that the Minneapolis City Council is considering a proposal to legalize bathhouses and other adult venues where consensual sexual activity between adults may occur.

The discussion, first reported in early April and expected to move forward in council sessions this week, marks a significant shift from decades-old laws rooted in the public health fears of the 1980s AIDS crisis.

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Bathhouses and sex clubs were once a visible part of LGBTQ nightlife across the United States, particularly among gay men. However, by the mid-1980s, cities began shutting them down amid rising concerns over HIV transmission. In Minneapolis, a 1988 ordinance backed by former council member Brian Coyle—the city’s first openly gay elected official—banned businesses that facilitated what was defined at the time as “high-risk sexual conduct.”

Now, more than three decades later, city leaders are revisiting that policy framework. The new proposal—authored by City Council President Elliott Payne along with council members Jason Chavez and Soren Stevenson—would allow licensed venues to legally operate under updated health, zoning, and safety regulations.

The proposed package includes four ordinances aimed at modernizing the city’s code. These changes would revise definitions in zoning laws to remove what advocates describe as outdated and stigmatizing language, establish legal pathways for licensed adult venues, and update public health guidance to reflect decades of advancements in HIV prevention, STI treatment, and harm-reduction strategies.

Driving much of the momentum behind the proposal is the Safer Sex Space Coalition, a group formed in 2023 that has been lobbying city officials to rethink the longstanding ban. Advocates argue that prohibiting such venues has not eliminated them—but instead pushed them underground, making them harder to regulate and potentially more dangerous.

In a public statement, Council President Payne emphasized that the proposal is rooted in community input and evolving public health science. He noted that understanding of HIV, sexual health, and prevention methods has changed dramatically since the 1980s, and that regulated spaces could provide safer environments centered on consent and education.

Supporters also point to examples from other cities, where similar venues operate legally without major public health concerns. A 2024 city auditor’s report cited multiple U.S. cities—including Duluth, Minnesota—that allow bathhouses and have reported no significant issues tied to their operation.

At the same time, the proposal is expected to generate debate. Critics and cautious policymakers are likely to raise concerns about regulation, neighborhood impact, and public perception, reflecting the ongoing tension between evolving LGBTQ rights and traditional public health approaches.

Council discussions, initially expected earlier this week, have been delayed and are now scheduled to continue in upcoming sessions as officials seek additional research and public input.

If approved, the measure would mark a historic turning point—bringing Minneapolis in line with a growing number of cities re-evaluating policies shaped during the height of the AIDS crisis, and potentially redefining how LGBTQ spaces are regulated in the modern era.

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