Nearly four decades after Minneapolis prohibited gay bathhouses during the height of the AIDS crisis, the city has officially repealed the ordinance, with Mayor Jacob Frey signing the measure into law as supporters celebrated the change.
The original ban was adopted in 1988 as public health officials and local leaders grappled with the spread of HIV/AIDS. At the time, bathhouses—adult establishments where anonymous sexual encounters commonly occurred—were viewed as high-risk environments that could accelerate transmission of the virus. Similar actions were taken in other major cities, including San Francisco, which closed its bathhouses in 1984, and New York City, which followed in 1985.
When Minneapolis enacted its prohibition, the city had three such establishments. According to historical accounts cited by The Washington Post, the venues were frequently visited by gay men seeking sexual encounters.
Mayor Frey just lifted the anti-AIDS ban on sex bathhouses for Pride Month: pic.twitter.com/9CvTlV4kYM
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) June 29, 2026
On Thursday, the Minneapolis City Council voted 9-2 to repeal the ban. One council member abstained from voting, while another was absent. Supporters argued that the ordinance had become outdated and unfairly targeted the LGBTQ community. According to Minnesota Public Radio, council members backing the repeal described the decades-old restriction as discriminatory and no longer justified by current public health conditions.
Mayor Frey had previously indicated that he would support the measure, and on Monday he formally signed it into law alongside members of the City Council and community advocates.
“Minneapolis stands with our LGBTQIA+ neighbors — we always will,” Frey wrote on X following the signing ceremony. “That’s why I’m proud to have stood with members of the City Council and community advocates to sign the Bathhouse Repeal Ordinance and Pride in Policy package into law.”
Supporters of the repeal argue that policies enacted during the early years of the AIDS epidemic should be reevaluated in light of advances in medicine, HIV prevention, and changing public health practices. They contend that maintaining a ban aimed at a specific segment of the population no longer serves its original purpose.
Critics, however, have questioned whether removing the restriction sends the right public health message, noting that the original ordinance was enacted with bipartisan support during a period when HIV infections were rapidly increasing and treatment options were limited.
Happy Somali Independence Day!
Here in Minnesota, home to one of the largest Somali communities in the United States, we celebrate the resilience, culture, and leadership that continue to enrich our city and community. pic.twitter.com/RP7jlgO5ar
— Mayor Jacob Frey (@MayorFrey) June 28, 2026
The decision has also drawn attention because of Frey’s public statements on international issues. Just two days before signing the repeal, the mayor marked Somalia’s Independence Day on social media. Somalia’s legal system includes severe penalties for same-sex conduct in some jurisdictions, and human rights organizations have documented discrimination and criminal penalties affecting LGBTQ individuals in the country.
The juxtaposition prompted criticism from some observers, who argued that celebrating a nation with laws targeting homosexual activity while signing legislation expanding LGBTQ rights in Minneapolis sent conflicting messages. Others viewed the two events as unrelated, pointing to the mayor’s longstanding support for LGBTQ initiatives within the city.
