Legislation on Adult Website Access Sparks Debate
During a hearing on Thursday, Rep. Lee Finke, a Democrat from Minnesota, expressed concerns that pornography could serve as “educational” for LGBTQ youth while opposing legislation aimed at enforcing age verification for adult websites. The proposed law would require websites flagged as “harmful to minors” to implement age checks, with the risk of civil lawsuits for non-compliance from state attorneys general and private citizens.
Finke, who identifies as a transgender woman, pointed out that current sex education often overlooks LGBTQ youth. “Many state legislatures seem almost pleased to use these laws to block young people from potentially educational material, particularly if they’re gay,” Finke stated during the hearing. “And if you’re a school principal with LGBT students, you can’t ignore that sex education isn’t being offered to queer kids. We know that. For some, even acknowledging a transgender child feels like a scandalous interest. There’s a growing narrative suggesting that transgender children simply don’t exist.”
Reflecting on broader political shifts, Finke noted the context of an executive order signed by President Donald Trump shortly after he took office in January 2025, establishing a framework to recognize the “biological reality of sex” and define terms like man and woman.
In 2023, Finke authored a bill intending to eliminate exceptions for pedophiles regarding discrimination protections based on sexual orientation, which he later described as a response to a backlash he faced for what some perceived as taking advantage of the situation to incite animosity toward transgender individuals.
In recognition of his advocacy, Finke was awarded the “Child Health Hero” honor by the Minnesota Children’s Hospital System for his efforts related to HF146, a bill aimed at establishing a “trans haven” for child gender reassignment procedures. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who was the Democratic vice presidential candidate in 2024, signed this legislation, which is set to take effect on April 27, 2023.
