The Minneapolis City Council is considering a proposal to reverse a ban in place since 1988 that prevents the operation of “LGBT saunas”, establishments where adults can have consenting sexual intercourse. The initiative seeks to update local regulations, replacing what Democratic officials consider to be “stigmatizing” language with more inclusive definitions that allow this type of space to be regulated under public health criteria
.The original ordinance was approved in the context of the HIV/AIDS crisis, when local authorities banned premises that facilitate sexual behavior considered to be high-risk. Since then, this type of establishment has remained out of the law in the city. Now, the debate has re-emerged, driven by organizations such as the “Safer Sex Spaces Coalition”, which promotes the legalization and regulation of these
spaces.According to their insane drivers, the reopening of these would make it possible to “improve strategies for the prevention of HIV” and other sexually transmitted diseases. They argue that these spaces could provide access to tests, health information and protective measures, in addition to reducing the practice of encounters in clandestine places without supervision. In this regard, they argue that the current prohibition has become obsolete in the face of advances in public health and sex education
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The proposal also has the support of some members of the City Council, including Councilman Jason Chavez, who noted that these types of restrictions have historically affected the LGBTQ+ community, contributing to its “stigmatization” and “criminalization”. According to its position, the reform seeks to recognize these spaces as areas of social and community encounter, in addition to regulating their functioning.
