Minneapolis Considers Legalizing Adult Bathhouses and Sex Venues

City Council to vote on removing 'stigmatizing language' and adding 'new definitions' to allow sexual activity between consenting adults.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 1:26pm

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A vibrant, abstract painting in shades of blue, violet, and magenta depicting the silhouettes of people in motion, conveying the tensions and debates surrounding the proposed legalization of adult bathhouses and sex venues in Minneapolis.As Minneapolis debates the legalization of adult bathhouses, the city grapples with the complex issues of public health, morality, and the regulation of private behavior.Minneapolis Today

The Minneapolis City Council is considering a proposal to legalize and regulate adult bathhouses and sex venues in the city, which have been banned for the past 38 years. The ordinances would remove 'stigmatizing language' and add 'new definitions to be inclusive of establishments where sexual activity between consenting adults may be facilitated.' The move has sparked public debate, with some residents arguing the city has bigger priorities while supporters say the venues are historically LGBTQ+ spaces that should be destigmatized.

Why it matters

This proposal to legalize adult bathhouses and sex venues in Minneapolis is part of a broader debate around the regulation of sexual activity and the destigmatization of LGBTQ+ spaces. The issue touches on questions of public health, morality, and the role of government in regulating private behavior between consenting adults.

The details

The Minneapolis City Council is set to vote on April 7 on whether to have city staff research ordinances that would allow adult bathhouses and sex venues to operate again after a 38-year ban. The ordinances would remove 'stigmatizing language' and add 'new definitions to be inclusive of establishments where sexual activity between consenting adults may be facilitated.' Adult bathhouses were popular in the U.S. until public pressure and laws led to their closures in the 1980s during the AIDS crisis. In Minneapolis, bathhouses and sex clubs operated until a 1988 ordinance banned businesses that facilitate 'high-risk sexual conduct' - defined as fellatio, anal intercourse and vaginal intercourse for pay.

  • The Minneapolis City Council is set to vote on the proposal on April 7, 2026.
  • Adult bathhouses and sex venues have been banned in Minneapolis since 1988.

The players

Minneapolis City Council

The governing body of the city of Minneapolis that is considering the proposal to legalize adult bathhouses and sex venues.

Elliott Payne

The Minneapolis City Council President, who stated that sex parties are happening in the city and the goal of the ordinances is to regulate them to ensure safety.

Aisha Chughtai

A Minneapolis City Council member who represents Ward 10, and who seemed caught off guard by the attention the ordinances received, stating the process is about fixing decades of racist, homophobic, xenophobic policy and language.

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What they’re saying

“Sex parties are happening in the city and the goal of the ordinances is to regulate them to ensure safety.”

— Elliott Payne, Minneapolis City Council President

“The process is about fixing decades of racist, homophobic, xenophobic policy and language.”

— Aisha Chughtai, Minneapolis City Council Member, Ward 10

What’s next

The Minneapolis City Council will vote on April 7, 2026 on whether to have city staff research ordinances that would legalize and regulate adult bathhouses and sex venues in the city.

The takeaway

The proposal to legalize adult bathhouses and sex venues in Minneapolis reflects a broader debate around the regulation of sexual activity and the destigmatization of LGBTQ+ spaces. While supporters argue the venues are historically important to the LGBTQ+ community, opponents contend the city has bigger priorities. The outcome of the City Council's vote will shape the future of these establishments in Minneapolis.