Minneapolis considers bringing back homosexual bathhouses that closed during AIDS epidemic

(LifeSiteNews) — Minneapolis is considering legalizing gay “bathhouses,” which were banned 38-years ago at the height of the AIDS epidemic because the orgiastic sexual activity conducted in those establishments were breeding grounds for the dreaded, deadly disease. 
Bathhouses and sex clubs were shut down when a 1988 ordinance was put into effect permanently closing facilities that promoted high-risk sexual conduct, defined as fellatio, anal intercourse and vaginal intercourse for pay. 

Four new ordinances being considered by the Minneapolis City Council would remove “stigmatizing language” and add “new definitions to be inclusive of establishments where sexual activity between consenting adults may be facilitated,” according to the Minnesota Star Tribune. 
City council member Jason Chavez argued, “LGBTQIA+ gathering spaces, including bathhouses, have long been targeted by criminalization and policing, and our communities have paid a devastating price for that,” the StarTribune reported.   
The Safer Sex Spaces Coalition (SSSC), which is pushing to repeal the 1988 ban, argues that the “ordinance is no longer the tool needed to promote public health. Social science research tells us that commercial sex spaces, like gay saunas, are important for promoting safer sex practices, enhancing HIV prevention, and increasing access to testing and treatment. These spaces also enhance feelings of identity, camaraderie, authenticity, and belonging. They are spaces where people overcome isolation and develop a sense of community and pride.”
The homosexual coalition further insists that “This is about public health, bodily autonomy, community safety, and LGBTQ+ dignity. The ordinance is a relic of stigma and fear. If we don’t act now, it could be used to harm our communities again in the future.”

Full story at https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/minneapolis-considers-bringing-back-homosexual-bathhouses-that-closed-during-aids-epidemic/