OutFront Minnesota is a left-of-center organization that advocates for LGBT individuals through educational outreach to school-age children, teachers, and the public; anti-violence initiatives; outreach to religious organizations; ¹ and legislative and political advocacy. OutFront Minnesota’s trainings include introductions to left-of-center gender ideologies and approaches to transgenderism, ² how to start and advocate for a gender and sexuality alliance, ³ guides to “coming out” as LGBT, best practices for educators with gender non-conforming students, and intersectionality through a Black queer feminist lens. ⁴

OutFront Minnesota demands more LGBT education in schools and requiring schools to have gender neutral bathrooms and safe spaces. OutFront Minnesota publishes a resource guide on how to organize to get more gender inclusion into schools and includes subjects such as using the correct pronouns, sexual orientation and identity, how to be an LGBT ally/advocate, and how to develop an LGBT inclusive education curriculum. ⁵

OutFront Minnesota sued the State of Minnesota to require the state to pay for gender re-assignment surgery for people on public-supported health care plans. ⁶ OutFront Minnesota campaigns for churches and synagogues to preach LGBT inclusiveness and lists houses of worship supportive of its efforts on its website. ^{7 8}

History

OutFront Minnesota is a lobbying and advocacy group founded in 1987 as the Gay and Lesbian Community Action Council (GLCAC) to fight for LGBT interests. ⁹ In 1987, Brian Coyle, an openly gay Minneapolis City Councilmember, initiated an assessment of the gay and lesbian community in Minneapolis and St. Paul. ¹⁰ GLCAC conducted the survey that subsequently led to a statewide task force and law that included sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes in Minnesota. ¹¹

In 2012, OutFront Minnesota campaigned to defeat a proposed amendment to the Minnesota Constitution that would have defined marriage as only between a man and woman. ¹²

Positions

OutFront Minnesota represents and supports gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, queer, gender expansive, two spirit, intersex, asexual, aromantic, questioning, and others regardless of labels and language. ¹³ Through support from Education Minnesota, the state teachers’ union, OutFront Minnesota has an educational equity department that provides training for schools and suggests policy changes. ¹⁴

OutFront Minnesota supports Gender Sexuality Alliances (GSAs) and Sexuality and Gender Alliances (SAGAs) as school support groups for students and educators. ¹⁵ OutFront Minnesota works with GSAs to provide an educator resource guide that includes orientation and identity, coming out, sexual health, crisis and anti-violence, intersectionality, how to be an ally/advocate, and developing an LGBT inclusive education. ¹⁶

OutFront Minnesota works with younger people through a yearly youth summit for high school aged students. ¹⁷ Over 400 students attend the one-day workshop in Minneapolis. ¹⁸ In 2022, OutFront Minnesota conducted youth research on middle and high school students from three areas of the state asking questions such as whether they have LGBT safe spaces and gender-neutral bathrooms in schools,  how good was the LGBT education in their school, and in which classes have students learned about LGBT topics. ¹⁹ The research then advocated that students, educators, and the public demand schools focus more on LGBT issues in education and provide LGBT-aligned facilities. ²⁰ Additional youth programs of OutFront Minnesota include a podcast titled, Gender School: Smash the Cis-tem, a guide for schools to understand gender-inclusive policies, and resources for how to organize gender inclusion in schools. ²¹

OutFront Minnesota and the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota sued the state of Minnesota for denying gender transition surgeries through the state’s Medical Assistance and MNCare programs for public insurance for low-income residents, essentially Minnesota’s version of Medicaid. ²² A judge ruled that transgender people have the right to gender transition surgeries and Medical Assistance must pay for them. ²³

OutFront Minnesota works with clergy and faith organizations to bring advocacy and inclusion for LGBT people into religious practice. ²⁴ OutFront’s faith-based advocacy provides training and workshops for groups on topics such as Queer Theology 101 for churches, faith community and LGBT identities, and faith community allyship. It also offers a training on reinterpreting Biblical passages that condemn LGBT practices, which it calls “Unclobbering the Bible.” ²⁵ OutFront Minnesota publishes a list on its website of LGBT-friendly places of worship throughout Minnesota. ²⁶

OutFront Minnesota provides additional training programs on the introduction to gender and trans issues, how to start a gender and sexuality alliance, “coming out” as LGBT, best practices for educators with pronouns and gender non-conforming students, intersectionality through a Black queer feminist lens, and advocacy for gender and sexuality alliances. ²⁷

Associated Organizations

OutFront Minnesota is associated with the charitable organization OutFront Minnesota Community Services that provides crisis intervention services, trainings on violence based on sexual orientation, and legal assistance and advocacy for victims of violence, relationship abuse, and sexual assault. ²⁸

The organization has an election advocacy section, OutFront Action, that endorses and works to get candidates elected. ²⁹ In 2024, OutFront Minnesota endorsed controversial U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN). ³⁰ OutFront Action has also focused on electing left-of-center school board candidates throughout Minnesota. ³¹

OutFront Minnesota is a member of We Choose Us, a left-of-center organization that advocates for changes to redistricting, ranked-choice voting, automatic voter registration, voting rights restoration for those on probation or parole, paid time off to vote, and pre-voter registration for 16 and 17 year olds. ³² OutFront Minnesota was critical of the Minnesota Republican Party’s endorsement of Royce White for U.S. Senate, claiming he has engaged in hateful rhetoric according to Media Matters. ³³

Finances

In 2022, OutFront Minnesota reported net assets of $224,352. ³⁴ In 2022, OutFront Minnesota recorded $270,092 in revenue and $105,783 in expenses. ³⁵ In 2021, OutFront Minnesota raised $162,552 in revenue and reported $226,034 in expenses. ³⁶

Funding

In 2024, OutFront Minnesota received $2 million from MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving. ³⁷ Funding for OutFront Minnesota’s religious outreach efforts are supported by the Proteus Fund’s Rights, Faith and Democracy Collaborative. ³⁸ OutFront Minnesota hosts a yearly gala in Minneapolis as a fundraising event. ³⁹ Past gala sponsors have included the Minnesota Vikings, Xcel Energy, Gender Justice, Human Rights Campaign, Inspiring Leadership Has a Name PAC (a political action committee associated with U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN)), and the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota. ⁴⁰

Leadership

Kat Rohn became executive director of OutFront Minnesota In May 2022. ⁴¹ Rohn is a registered lobbyist in Minnesota focusing on LGBT issues and passage of the Minnesota Equal Rights Amendment. ⁴² Prior to joining OutFront Minnesota, Rohn was a senior development officer at the University of Minnesota, associate director of the alumni annual fund for Carleton College, and assistant director of the pioneer fund at Grinnell College in Iowa for four years. ⁴³ Rohn is a transgender parent living with a partner and two kids in Minnesota running a blog on parenting while transgender. ⁴⁴

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2. “OutFront Minnesota Youth Researchers Gender Inclusion Project.” OutFront Minnesota. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.outfront.org/gender-inclusion-project#action-tool-kit.
3. “GSAs/SAGAs.” OutFront Minnesota. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.outfront.org/educationalequity#gsasaga.
4. “Trainings.” OutFront Minnesota. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.outfront.org/trainings.
5. “Educational Equity.” OutFront Minnesota. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.outfront.org/educationalequity.
6. Chanen, David. “Minnesota Judge Lifts Coverage Ban for Transgender Surgeries. Star Tribune. November 17, 2016. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-judge-lifts-coverage-ban-for-transgender-surgeries/401592585?refresh=true.
7. “Religious Organizing in Minnesota.” OutFront Minnesota. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.outfront.org/policy-organizing#religious-organizing.
8. “Welcoming Spaces.” OutFront Minnesota. Accessed August 5, 2024. https://www.outfront.org/policy-organizing#religious-organizing.
9. “About Us.” OutFront Minnesota. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.outfront.org/about-us#history.
10. “Out and Counted.” OutFront Minnesota. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.outfront.org/out-and-counted
11.  “Leading Minnesota Toward LGBTQ+ Equality.” OutFront Minnesota. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.outfront.org/about-us#history; “Out and Counted.” OutFront Minnesota. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.outfront.org/out-and-counted
12.  “Minnesotans United for All Families.” OutFront Minnesota. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.outfront.org/minnesotans-united-all-families.
13. “Statement of Inclusion.” OutFront Minnesota. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.outfront.org/about-us.
14.  “Educational Equity.” OutFront Minnesota. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.outfront.org/educationalequity.
15. “GSAs/SAGAs.” OutFront Minnesota. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.outfront.org/educationalequity#gsasaga.
16. GSAs/SAGAs.” OutFront Minnesota. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.outfront.org/educationalequity#gsasaga
17. “Youth Summit.” OutFront Minnesota. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.classy.org/event/youth-summit-2024/e554788.
18. “Youth Summit.” OutFront Minnesota. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.classy.org/event/youth-summit-2024/e554788.
19. “Educational Equity.” OutFront Minnesota. 2022. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.outfront.org/educationalequity#youth-researchers.
20. “Educational Equity.” OutFront Minnesota. 2022. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.outfront.org/educationalequity#youth-researchers.
21. “OutFront Minnesota Youth Researchers Gender Inclusion Project.” OutFront Minnesota. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.outfront.org/gender-inclusion-project#action-tool-kit.
22. Chanen, David. “Minnesota Judge Lifts Coverage Ban for Transgender Surgeries. Star Tribune. November 17, 2016. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-judge-lifts-coverage-ban-for-transgender-surgeries/401592585?refresh=true
23. Chanen, David. “Minnesota Judge Lifts Coverage Ban for Transgender Surgeries. Star Tribune. November 17, 2016. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-judge-lifts-coverage-ban-for-transgender-surgeries/401592585?refresh=true.
24. “Religious Organizing in Minnesota.” OutFront Minnesota. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.outfront.org/policy-organizing#religious-organizing.
25. “Trainings.” OutFront Minnesota. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.outfront.org/trainings.
26. “Welcoming Spaces.” OutFront Minnesota. Accessed August 5, 2024. https://www.outfront.org/policy-organizing#religious-organizing.
27. “Trainings.” OutFront Minnesota. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.outfront.org/trainings.
28. OutFront Minnesota Community Services, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990), 2022.
29. “OutFront Action.” OutFront Minnesota. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://outfrontpac.org.
30. “OutFront Action.” OutFront Minnesota. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://outfrontpac.org.
31. “Support OutFront MN Action School Board Candidates!” OutFront Minnesota Action. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://secure.actblue.com/donate/mnschoolboard.
32. ”Partners.” We Choose Us.” Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.wechooseusmn.com/partners. Your New Voting Rights.” We Choose Us. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.wechooseusmn.com/new-voting-rights; “About We Choose Us.” We Choose Us. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.wechooseusmn.com/about-we-choose-us; “Big Wins for Democracy.” We Choose Us. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.wechooseusmn.com/big-wins.
33. “Advocacy Leaders Respond to MN GOP Endorsement.” OutFront Minnesota. May 24, 2024. Accessed February 4, 2024. https://www.outfront.org/advocacy-leaders-respond-mn-gop-endorsement.
34. OutFront Minnesota, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990), 2022.
35. OutFront Minnesota, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990), 2022.
36. OutFront Minnesota, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990), 2021.
37. “OutFront Minnesota Awarded $2 Million.” OutFront Minnesota. March 19, 2024. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.outfront.org/outfront-minnesota-awarded-2-million.
38. “Religious Organizing in Minnesota.” OutFront Minnesota. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.outfront.org/policy-organizing#religious-organizing.
39. “OutFront Minnesota Gala.” OutFront Minnesota. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.outfront.org/outfront-minnesota-gala.
40. “OutFront Minnesota Gala.” OutFront Minnesota. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.outfront.org/outfront-minnesota-gala.
41. “OutFront Announces New Executive Director.” OutFront Minnesota. May 3, 2022. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.outfront.org/ExecutiveDirectorKatRohn.
42. “OutFront Minnesota.” Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://cfb.mn.gov/reports-and-data/viewers/lobbying/lobbying-organizations/3628/2024.1/; “OutFront Minnesota.” Facebook. May 6, 2024. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.facebook.com/reel/1476626606296148.
43. “Kat Rohn.” LinkedIn. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohn-07926326/.
44. Rohn, Kat. “Baba and the Babies March on the Capitol by E. Kat Rohn.” Mutha Magazine. January 27, 2017. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.muthamagazine.com/2017/01/baba-and-the-babies-march-on-the-capitol-by-e-kat-rohn/; “Trans-Parenting.” Tumblr. Accessed August 4, 2024. https://www.tumblr.com/trans-parenting.