DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa legislators have passed a bill removing gender identity protections from the state’s civil rights code, drawing sharp criticism and protests from LGBTQ+ advocates. The measure, approved Thursday, makes Iowa the first state in the nation to take such action.
The bill, which quickly moved through the legislative process after its introduction last week, defines male and female, and specifies that gender is synonymous with sex, explicitly excluding gender identity, experienced gender, and gender expression. The state Senate approved the bill along party lines, followed by the House, where five Republicans joined all Democrats in opposition.
Logan Casey, director of policy research at the Movement Advancement Project, noted that this marks the first legislative action in the U.S. to remove gender identity-based nondiscrimination protections. The bill now heads to Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, who has previously supported policies restricting transgender students’ sports participation and public bathroom access.
On Thursday, hundreds of LGBTQ+ supporters protested in the Capitol rotunda, carrying signs and chanting slogans. There was a significant police presence at the event.
During a public hearing before a House committee, a vast majority of those who testified opposed the bill. Protests continued as the House voted, with demonstrators expressing their disapproval.
Supporters of the legislation argue that the current law incorrectly codifies the idea of gender transition, potentially giving transgender women access to spaces they believe should be reserved for those assigned female at birth. Iowa state Rep. Steven Holt, who managed the bill, emphasized the need to protect what he termed “immutable truth.” He argued that the inclusion of gender identity in civil rights codes could undermine recent laws concerning transgender participation in sports and access to public facilities.
This action by Iowa lawmakers contrasts with events in Georgia, where the state House decided against removing gender protections from its hate crimes law. Iowa’s existing civil rights law addresses discrimination based on race, color, creed, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, and disability.
Sexual orientation and gender identity were not initially part of Iowa’s 1965 Civil Rights Act but were added by the Democratic-controlled Legislature in 2007, with some Republican support. Iowa state Rep. Aime Wichtendahl, a transgender woman, spoke out against the bill, sharing her personal story and expressing concern about the bill’s impact and its potential to further marginalize transgender people.
According to the Movement Advancement Project, approximately half of U.S. states include gender identity in their civil rights codes. Iowa’s Supreme Court has previously ruled that discrimination based on sex does not encompass gender identity discrimination.
Other Republican-led legislatures are considering similar laws defining male and female based on birth-assigned reproductive organs. These efforts follow an executive order from President Donald Trump, whose administration also moved to restrict transgender individuals’ military service and athletic participation.
Associated Press writer Jeff Amy in Atlanta contributed to this report.
