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The idea for the Northstar Project came from Brian Coyle, Minneapolis' openly gay city council member, who was inspired by a needs assessment that was successfully conducted within the Boston Gay and Lesbian community. Coyle called for a similar survey in the Twin Cities area.
The recently formed Gay and Lesbian Community Action Council (GLCAC, now OutFront Minnesota) surveyed the metro area LGBTQ+ community to create Out and Counted: A Survey of the Twin Cities Lesbian and Gay Community (also known as the Northstar survey).
The results of this survey provided crucial data about the experiences and needs of constituents in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Subsequently, with growing demand to include the LGBTQ+ community in the Minnesota Human Rights Act, the Governor's Task Force on Gay and Lesbian Minnesotans was appointed by Governor Rudy Perpich in April 1990. The Task Force was asked to find whether evidence of discrimination against Gay and Lesbian persons in Minnesota existed and, if necessary, to make recommendations to better the quality of life for these Minnesotans.
Task Force Recommendations
- Prohibit discrimination against any person because of sexual orientation.
- Repeal Minnesota laws concerning private consensual adult sexual behavior.
- Require training in understanding homosexuality for persons involved in law enforcement, education, health care, and human services.
- Establish an on-going state commission to continue the work which this Task Force has begun.
Between the work of GLCAC and the Governor's Task Force, community feedback showed why expanded protections in the Minnesota Human Rights Act was necessary.
Through the work of the Northstar Project, GLCAC learned that their work must expand to include not only community services and direct support, but also policy advocacy and systems change.
The next governor's task force released its report in 1995. It was not until 2023 when the state legislature created a dedicated Council on LGBTQIA2S+ Minnesotans.
