Minnesota Democratic state representatives introduced legislation that would end the exclusion of pedophilia from legal protections of sexual orientation in state law.
The state’s anti-discrimination law excludes sexual attraction to children from legally protected sexual orientations, but HF 1655 would remove that exclusion.
The bill describes itself as “removing certain sections in the human rights act that allow for discrimination based on sexual orientation.”
In the news: Biden DOJ Files Suit Over Tennessee Over Law Banning Child Sex Changes
The phrase “‘sexual orientation’ does not include a physical or sexual attachment to children by an adult” would be struck from the legal definition of sexual orientation if the bill passes.
Sexual orientation is a protected legal class in Minnesota in employment, housing, public accommodations, public service, educational institutions, credit and business discrimination.
The legislation also creates a legal definition for gender identity and specifies that gender identity may not match one’s biological sex and may not be visible to others.
Leigh Finke, who is listed first among the bill’s authors, is transgender and frequently speaks out against legal restrictions on child sex changes took to Twitter in response to blowback against the bill.
Related: USA Today Names Trans Rep. Leigh Fink ‘Woman Of The Year’ For State Of Minnesota
“The past 36 hours in this job have been the most difficult so far. I’ve been confronted, called the worst things possible, threatened with murder. The volume has been greater than at any point. All for a lie told about a small bill that changes nothing about sexual orientation,” Finke wrote. “So much cruelty. For what? For a one minute floor debate on a 2 line amendment that received a unanimous vote. Literally. No. Controversy. Folks could have listened, but they didn’t want to. They instead used the opportunity to amplify the hatred of trans people.”
Finke was nominated as one of USA Today’s “Women of the Year” on Friday, according to USA Today. Finke is Minnesota’s first transgender legislator.
Finke’s nomination comes the same day Finke publicly testified that the sexual abuse allegations against a minor were not relevant factors when deciding to continue funding a nonprofit.
In the news: $8 Million In Drugs Seized, 35 Arrested In Florida, Puerto Rico Drug Trafficking Ring
Finke was “embarrassed,” “upset” and “angry” that a previous lawsuit against a central community organizer for the Indigenous environmental group, Honor the Earth, was brought up in deciding whether to keep funding Honor the Earth.
Michael Dahl, the former central organizer for Honor the Earth, was accused of pedophilia in 2015 after a group of women confronted the founder and co-executive director, Winona LaDuke, according to the Washington Free Beacon.
LaDuke said that Dahl “probably did have sex” with the 15-year-old in question in the 1990s, according to court records.
In the news: Scandal-Plagued Hunter Biden Threatens To Sue GOP Bad Boy Roger Stone For Defamation
“This is not what we should have been talking about,” Finke said during a Legacy Finance Committee Meeting in Minnesota.
When Finke was asked by USA Today how the representative overcame the pressure of being a transgender representative, Finke said, “I think about what we’re doing for our children’s sake, for the next generation, for 30 years from now.”
Android Users, Click To Download The Free Press App And Never Miss A Story. Follow Us On Facebook and Twitter. Signup for our free newsletter.
We can’t do this without your help; visit our GiveSendGo page and donate any dollar amount; every penny helps.