Today, we’re celebrating Leigh Finke!

Leigh Finke became the first openly transgender legislator in Minnesota in 2022 when she won her election for the Minnesota House of Representatives. Her election to the Minnesota Legislature was part of a historic wave of young, queer, and diverse lawmakers entering government across the U.S. 

Fighting to Protect LGBTQ+ Minnesotans

Representative Finke is committed to expanding protections for trans, queer, and LGBTQ+ people of all ages and has worked tirelessly during her time in office to deliver results. In 2023, she wrote a bill to protect access to gender-affirming health care, and it passed, making Minnesota one of the first “trans refuge” states in the nation.

This crucial legislation protects transgender people, their families, and medical practitioners from legal repercussions for traveling to Minnesota to receive gender-affirming care.

In light of the devastating attacks on trans rights by conservatives across the country, making Minnesota a safe place for trans people and their families to seek the care they need is essential. 

After the bill passed, Finke delivered a message to all LGBTQ+ people: 

“To all those families across the United States that are afraid and wondering where they can go for help, Minnesota is saying we see you, we love you, and you belong here.” 

Finke’s hard work is paying off. News of Minnesota’s status as a Trans Refuge State is spreading, motivating many people to make Minnesota their new home. Last summer, a couple reunited at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport after they both fled persecution in Russia. One of them, a trans man named Erik Beda, said, “It’s an obvious fact that Minnesota is a refuge for trans people, so we had no doubts that we had to go.”

Representative Finke was also a founding member of the Queer Caucus, a group of LGBTQ+ legislators that formed before the 2023 legislative session. 

Leigh Finke’s accomplishments during her first legislative session were historic, and Minnesota is lucky to have her. 

She also is the Executive Director of Queer Equity Institute, a nonprofit that builds civic engagement and LGBTQ2IA+ leadership in Minnesota and across the U.S. 

Continue the Fight to Build a Better Minnesota

With the 2025 legislative session approaching, we’re glad to have progressive champions like Leigh Finke  leading the charge to make our state more equitable for all.

Sign up to join us in the fight to build a better Minnesota.