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Allan Spear was elected to the Minnesota state Senate in 1972 and came out in 1974, becoming the first gay man state legislator to come out in the United states. Spear would serve in the state legislature for 28 years until his retirement in early 2001. In 1993, he became the first out LGBTQ+ leader of a state legislature in U.S. history, when elected by his peers to be President of the Minnesota Senate. He was considered instrumental in the passage of the 1993 Minnesota Human Rights Act which made discrimination against LGBTQ+ people illegal in employment, education and housing.
President of the Minnesota Senate (1993 – 2001)
Minnesota Senate (1973 –2001)
