In a contentious hearing at the Minnesota State Capitol on Thursday, Democratic State Representative Leigh Finke, the state’s first openly transgender legislator, voiced strong opposition to a bill requiring age verification for websites containing material harmful to minors, claiming porn can be “educational” for queer kids.
Finke argued that such restrictions could block access to “educational” content for queer children.
House File 1434 (HF 1434), introduced by Republican Rep. Ben Bakeberg, aims to protect minors from explicit online content by mandating age verification on websites where at least one-third of the material appeals to a “prurient interest” in nudity, sex, or excretion, or depicts sexual conduct in a patently offensive way.
The bill defines “harmful to minors” based on standards lacking serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for youth.
It would allow the state Attorney General to enforce and create a private right of action for parents or guardians to sue noncompliant sites for up to $10,000 per violation, plus actual damages and attorney’s fees.
During the Commerce Finance and Policy Committee hearing, supporters like Renee Carlson, general counsel for True North Legal, emphasized the bill’s focus on shielding children from a “predatory industry.”
Carlson cited the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, which upheld similar age verification laws, arguing that the measure is constitutional and prioritizes child safety over First Amendment concerns.
However, Finke, who represents District 66A in St. Paul, fought hard to defend allowing children access to adult content.
Finke claimed that the vague definition of “prurient interest” could be interpreted to include “the very existence of transgender kids.”
The representative also claimed attorneys general in other states with similar laws are “almost jubilant” about using them to ban children from accessing material that “could be educational if they are queer.”
Finke asserted there is a need to ensure the bill does not prohibit content designed for those under 18 to “educate them about themselves, their lives, their community.”
Footage of Finke’s opposition to the bill quickly went viral on X.
WATCH:
Transgender Minnesota State Rep Leigh Finke opposes age verification laws for adult sites because he thinks it can be “educational” for kids to access it
This dude is a disgusting creep pic.twitter.com/WWqjzMILW0
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) February 20, 2026
WATCH: Minnesota Republicans proposed age verification for websites that host adult content.
Rep. Leigh Finke (D) argues that queer kids should have access to it for educational purposes.
WTF? pic.twitter.com/xl511jeFW1
— Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) February 20, 2026
This isn’t Finke’s first brush with controversy related to children.
In 2023, Finke authored legislation that removed language excluding pedophilia from protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation, leading to accusations of normalizing predatory behavior.
Finke later defended the change, claiming backlash was rooted in anti-trans sentiment.
More recently, Finke has spoken out against federal rules targeting sex change procedures and hormones for minors, vowing Minnesota will continue to allow access.
The post WATCH: Creepy Minnesota Transgender Lawmaker Leigh Finke Opposes Age Verification for Porn Sites, Claims Content Can Be ‘Educational’ for Queer Kids appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.