Finke was born in Minnesota and grew up in the western suburbs of the Twin Cities, graduating from Maple Grove Senior High School in Maple Grove, Minnesota.[1]
Finke earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature in 2003 from Bethel College and a Master of Arts in Shakespeare from DePaul University.[1][3] While at Bethel, she became active in politics protesting the Iraq War.[4]
From 2018 to 2021, Finke was the senior producer at 1517 Media. There, she wrote and produced two documentary films: Ending the Silence: Confronting Sexual Shame in the Church and White Savior: Racism in the American Church. She also edited two nonfiction books for Beaming Books: Queerfully and Wonderfully Made and Welcoming and Affirming.[3]
In 2021 and 2022, Finke worked as Multimedia Storyteller for the ACLU of Minnesota.[5] In late 2022, she was publicly critical of Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Jensen for spreading the transphobic litter boxes in schools hoax.[6]
In March 2023, Finke started the Queer Equity Institute, a nonprofit that supports and encourages queer politicians.[7]
Finke is the first openly transgender legislator elected to the Minnesota Legislature.[5][4] She said she was motivated to run because of anti-trans bills state Republicans introduced in 2021 that would make it a petty misdemeanor for transgender girls to participate in girls' sports.[4] Finke was a founding member of and chairs the Queer Caucus, a group of LGBTQ+ legislators that formed before the 2023 legislative session.[8][9]
Finke serves on the Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy, Human Services Policy, Judiciary Finance and Civil Law, and Legacy Finance Committees.[1]
LGBTQ+ rights
Finke supported legislation to ban the use of the discredited practice of conversion therapy in the state for minors and vulnerable adults.[8][10] She supported an Iowa school district's policy that required staff and students to use a student's preferred name and pronouns, saying: "We need to be supporting kids. We need to be including and recognizing them and believing them".[11]
Finke sponsored legislation to remove language associating sexual orientation with pedophilia in state law and adding gender identity as a protected class in Minnesota's human rights statute.[12] Republican representatives opposed the measure, some threatening to misgender Finke. Backlash led to Finke receiving death threats.[7] Legal experts dismissed Republican claims that the bill would protect pedophiles, saying, "This doesn't create some sort of broad-based protection for those who prey on minors".[12][7] She also wrote a bill that would repeal a law that criminalized knowingly exposing someone to HIV, calling them "old, outdated homophobic statutes".[13]
Trans refuge bill
Finke authored legislation that would protect people in the state and those traveling to Minnesota to receive gender-affirming care and has consistently opposed Republican efforts to ban transgender healthcare in the state.[14][15][16] During a House floor debate on an amendment to ban transgender healthcare, Finke said: "You want to ban gender-affirming care for minors. What you want to do is you want to make sure minors never grow up to be me".[10] She has also spoken about the need to remove barriers to access to healthcare, including by increasing health insurance coverage.[17]
Finke sponsored an executive order protecting access to gender-affirming care for Minnesotans that Governor Tim Walz signed on March 8, 2023.[18][19] Her bill to protect access to gender-affirming care, the "Trans Refuge Bill", passed the House on March 24, 2023, after five hours of debate and was signed into law by Walz on April 27.[20][21][22]
Other political positions
Finke is pro-choice and supports removing limitations on abortions in the state. She also supports increasing education funding, including raising teacher pay and increasing special education and mental health support.[23]
Awards and honors
In 2023, Finke was named as one of USA Today's Women of the Year, which recognizes women who have made a significant impact across the country.[24] She was highlighted by Minnesota Public Radio's "Changemakers" series, which showcases Minnesotans from diverse backgrounds making an impact in the state.[25]
Electoral history
2022 DFL Primary - Minnesota State House - District 66A[26]
Finke is openly transgender and the first openly transgender person to serve in the Minnesota Legislature.[5] She lives in the Midway neighborhood of St. Paul, Minnesota, and has two children.[1][23]
^ abEidsvoog, Emma; Johnson, Makenzi (2021-03-23). "Places to breathe". bethelclarion.com. Archived from the original on 2022-11-13. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
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