'Shakg thgs up': Mnota’s LGBTQ lawmakers see new strength at Capol | MPR News</tle><script type="applitn/ld+json">{"@ntext":","@type":"NewsArticle","maEntyOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"},"headle":"'Shakg thgs up': Mnota’s LGBTQ lawmakers see new strength at Capol","image":["],"datePublished":"2023-01-17T09:30:00-06:00","dateModified":"2023-04-10T17:02:16.000-05:00","scriptn":"Nearly 50 years after Mnota’s Allan Spear beme one of the natn’s first openly gay legislators, LGBTQ lawmakers walked to the 2023 legislative ssn wh the cril mass need to form a uc and flex some polil mcle. 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role="regn" aria-label="Aud Player" data-src="[{"url":",{"url":"]"></div></div><ma class="ma"><div class="ntaer"><div class="ntentGrid unfed"><div class="ntentGrid_ma"><div id="mpr-mr-ads" class="ad"><div id="mpr-ad-1" class="ad_slot ad_slot-mr"></div></div><article class="ntent story"><hear class="ntent_hear"><div class="ntent_topic page-purpose" data-mpr-ntent-topic="Polics and Government"><a class="lk lk-none" data-ttid="relativeLk" href="/polics">Polics and Government</a></div><h1 class="hdg hdg-1 hdg-headle">'Shakg thgs up': Mnota’s LGBTQ lawmakers see new strength at Capol</h1><div class="ntent_meta"><div class="ntent_byle" data-ttid="ntentByle" data-mpr-thors="["Sam Stroozas"]"><a class="lk lk-pla" data-ttid="relativeLk" href="/people/sam-stroozas">Sam Stroozas</a></div><div class="ntent_datele">St. Pl<!-- --> </div><div class="ntent_pubdate"><time dateTime="2023-01-17T09:30:00-06:00">January 17, 2023 9:30 AM</time></div></div></hear><div class="ntent_d"><button type="button" class="playButton playButton-primary"><span class="playButton_button"><div class="playButton_playIn"><svg width="24" height="24" class="in in-play " viewBox="0 0 24 24" xmlns=" xmlns:xlk="><tle>Play</tle><path d="M8 6.82v10.36c0 .79.87 1.27 1.54.84l8.14-5.18c.62-.39.62-1.29 0-1.69L9.54 5.98C8.87 5.55 8 6.03 8 6.82z"></path></svg></div></span><span class="playButton_label">Listen</span><span class="playButton_tle">All Thgs Consired - Rep. Leigh Fke on the state's first ever queer uc</span></button></div><div class="ntent_primaryVisual"><figure class="figure figure-full ntent_figure"><picture class="" data-ttid="picture"><source type="image/webp" srcSet=" 400w, 600w, 1000w, 1400w, 1500w" siz="(max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px" data-ttid="webp" media="(max-width: 512px)"/><source type="image/webp" srcSet=" 400w, 600w, 1000w, 1400w, 2000w" siz="(max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px" data-ttid="webp" media="(m-width: 513px)"/><source type="image/eg" srcSet=" 400w, 600w, 1000w, 1400w, 1500w" siz="(max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px" data-ttid="notwebp" media="(max-width: 512px)"/><source type="image/eg" srcSet=" 400w, 600w, 1000w, 1400w, 2000w" siz="(max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px" data-ttid="notwebp" media="(m-width: 513px)"/><img src=" width="600" height="337" alt="Two people s mtee chairs, listeng."/></picture><figptn class="figure_ptn"><div class="figure_text">Leigh Fke (left) and Brn Curran are members of the first queer uc the Mnota Legislature. Fke chairs the uc.</div><div class="figure_cred">Courty of Cathere Davis | Mnota Hoe of Reprentativ</div></figptn></figure></div><div class="ntent_wrapper"><div class="ntent_social"><div class="shareSocialButtons vList"><h3 class="hdg hdg-small">Share</h3><a href=" thgs up': Mnota’s LGBTQ lawmakers see new strength at Capol" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-label="Twter - lk opens a new tab" class="shareSocialButtons_twter twter"><svg class="in in-twter" xmlns=" xmlns:xlk=" width="28" height="24" viewBox="0 0 28 24"><tle>Twter</tle><path d="M8.7 23.4C19.2 23.4 25 14.4 25 6.6 25 6.3 25 6.1 25 5.8 26.1 5 27 4 27.8 2.8 26.8 3.2 25.7 3.6 24.5 3.7 25.7 3 26.6 1.8 27 0.4 25.9 1.1 24.7 1.6 23.4 1.9 22.4 0.7 20.9 0 19.2 0 16.1 0 13.5 2.6 13.5 5.9 13.5 6.4 13.6 6.8 13.7 7.3 9 7 4.7 4.7 1.9 1.1 1.4 2 1.2 3 1.2 4.1 1.2 6.1 2.2 7.9 3.7 9 2.8 8.9 1.9 8.7 1.1 8.2 1.1 8.3 1.1 8.3 1.1 8.3 1.1 11.2 3.1 13.6 5.7 14.1 5.2 14.2 4.7 14.3 4.2 14.3 3.8 14.3 3.5 14.3 3.1 14.2 3.8 16.5 5.9 18.3 8.4 18.3 6.5 19.9 4 20.8 1.4 20.8 0.9 20.8 0.4 20.8 0 20.8 2.5 22.4 5.5 23.4 8.7 23.4"></path></svg><span class="visible">Twter</span></a><a href=" thgs up': Mnota’s LGBTQ lawmakers see new strength at Capolsharer" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-label="Facebook - lk opens a new tab" class="shareSocialButtons_facebook facebook"><svg class="in in-facebook" xmlns=" xmlns:xlk=" width="13" height="25" viewBox="0 0 13 25"><tle>Facebook</tle><path d="M8.1 24.3L8.1 13.2 11.7 13.2 12.3 8.9 8.1 8.9 8.1 6.1C8.1 4.9 8.4 4 10.2 4L12.4 4 12.4 0.2C12.1 0.1 10.7 0 9.2 0 5.9 0 3.7 2 3.7 5.7L3.7 8.9 0 8.9 0 13.2 3.7 13.2 3.7 24.3 8.1 24.3Z"></path></svg><span class="visible">Facebook</span></a><a href="mailto:?subject=MPR News: 'Shakg thgs up': Mnota’s LGBTQ lawmakers see new strength at Capol&body=Check out this article om MPR News: target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-label="Email - lk opens a new tab" class="shareSocialButtons_email email"><svg width="24" height="24" class="in in-mail " viewBox="0 0 24 24" xmlns=" xmlns:xlk="><tle>Mail</tle><path d="M19.2,5.8H4.8A1.79,1.79,0,0,0,3,7.6V18.4a1.79,1.79,0,0,0,1.8,1.8H19.2A1.79,1.79,0,0,0,21,18.4V7.6A1.79,1.79,0,0,0,19.2,5.8Zm-.4,3.8L13,13.3a1.65,1.65,0,0,1-1.9,0L5.2,9.6A.62.62,0,0,1,4.8,9,.75.75,0,0,1,6,8.4l6,3.8,6-3.8a.78.78,0,0,1,1.2.6A.62.62,0,0,1,18.8,9.6Z"></path></svg><span class="visible">Email</span></a></div></div><div class="ntent_body erContent"><p>Sen. Stt Dibble was often the sole openly gay person the room when he started out polics. First elected to the Mnota Hoe 2000, the Mneapolis DFLer was one of jt three openly LGBTQ people at the time to serve the Legislature. </p><p>The three — cludg <a class="apm-lk null" href=">Allan Spear</a>, one of the natn’s first openly gay lawmakers, and Karen Clark — never served together but jokgly referred to themselv as the Queer Cc.</p><p>Two s later, the jok are over. Twelve LGBTQ lawmakers me to St. Pl this month followg historic electns. Mnota Hoe DFLers formed a real uc, cludg the Capol’s first transgenr lawmaker and first nonbary member. </p><p>The legislators say they are prepared to flex some of that new polil mcle to secure accs to health re, protectn agast vlence and other prri for LGBTQ people. On Wednday, a bill to prohib nversn therapy will get s first hearg the Hoe Human Servic Policy Commtee.</p><div class="donateAsk unfed"><div class="donateAsk_hear"><h2 class="hdg hdg-2">Grow the Future of Public Media</h2></div><div class="donateAsk_body"><p>MPR News is supported by Members. Gifts om dividuals power everythg you fd here. Make a gift of any amount today to bee a Member!</p></div><div class="donateAsk_footer"><a href=" id="donate-ask-button" class="btn btn-primary" data-ttid="externalLk"> <!-- -->Donate Today<!-- --> <svg width="32" height="32" class="in in-heart " viewBox="0 0 32 32" xmlns=" xmlns:xlk="><tle>Heart
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