A landmark effort is underway in Minnesota, where a state agency is surveying LGBTQ residents to better understand the experiences and challenges faced by the community. It’s the first major initiative of the Council on LGBTQ Minnesotans, formed just last year.
Executive Director Emma Watts says this feedback will help shape future policies, programs, and funding. She adds, “LGBTQ+ communities have historically been understudied, underfunded, and there’s a lot that we can learn. Data drives policy. We want to make sure that we’re adequately serving the community and their current needs.” This is Minnesota’s most comprehensive queer survey in over 30 years.
Back in the early ’90s, then-Governor Rudy Perpich formed a Task Force on Gay and Lesbian Minnesotans. Though underfunded, the task force met 40 times and found widespread discrimination, particularly in Greater Minnesota. That group also recommended the formation of a council—one that finally exists today.
According to the latest Census data, about 460,000 Minnesotan adults identify as LGBTQ. So far, more than 1,800 people have filled out the anonymous survey, which asks about safety, health care, community connection, and more. To ensure accessibility, paper surveys are available at Queermunity in Uptown Minneapolis. Co-founder Hilary Otey says the approach protects participants’ safety. The survey closes May 31. It’s open to queer Minnesotans over 18—and to parents or guardians of LGBTQ individuals.
