Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed legislation eliminating civil rights protections for transgender Iowans, sparking controversy and protest.
New Law Removes Protections
The new law removes gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights Act. Effective July 1, it will end state anti-discrimination protections for transgender individuals relating to housing, employment, public accommodations, and other areas.
Reynolds stated in a video message that the law is necessary to prevent courts from overturning Iowa’s existing restrictions on transgender rights related to school bathrooms and sports teams. She argued the changes were needed to protect women and girls.
Max Mowitz, the executive director of One Iowa, an LGBTQ rights organization, criticized the move. He stated that Iowa is now the first state to roll back civil rights protections for an entire protected class. “Gov. Reynolds has chosen to put Iowa on the wrong side of history,” Mowitz said. “By signing this bill into law, she has made it legal to discriminate against transgender Iowans in nearly every aspect of life — where they live, where they work and where they go to school. This law sends a devastating message: that transgender Iowans are not worthy of the same rights, dignity and protections as their neighbors.”
Legislative Proceedings and Protests
The bill passed the Iowa House and Senate after significant protest at the Iowa Capitol.
Protesters filled the Statehouse, chanting the Iowa state motto, “Our liberties we prize, and our rights we will maintain.”
The bill removes gender identity as a protected class from the Iowa Civil Rights Act. This act previously provided protection from discrimination in housing, education, employment, wages, public accommodations, and credit practices.
Republican lawmakers argued for the bill’s necessity, citing the need to protect existing state laws concerning transgender individuals. LGBTQ rights advocates and Democrats opposed the bill, saying it could lead to discrimination against transgender people.
Rep. Aime Wichtendahl, Iowa’s first openly transgender state representative, shared her experience of being evicted from her rental home after transitioning. She emphasized the importance of anti-discrimination protections in affirming the dignity and humanity of transgender people.
“The purpose of this bill, and the purpose of every anti-trans bill, is to further erase us from public life and to stigmatize our existence.”
Rep. Steven Holt, a Republican, argued the bill would safeguard women’s rights. He also mentioned it would allow lawmakers to ban Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming procedures.
The bill passed on a nearly party-line vote.
Broader Implications and Reactions
Prior to this law, the Iowa Civil Rights Act protected against discrimination based on traits including gender identity. The ACLU of Iowa’s Executive Director, Mark Stringer, stated that Iowa may become the first state to remove these protections.
During a public hearing, community members shared their experiences and perspectives on the bill. Some sought to protect transgender youth, while others expressed concerns about potential conflicts between transgender rights and women’s rights.
The law also defines “sex” as the biological condition observed or verified at birth and prevents changes to birth certificates regarding sex.
