Iowa’s Republican Governor Kim Reynolds recently signed a bill that takes away protections for transgender individuals in the state’s civil rights code. This makes Iowa the first state to strip such protections from its laws.
In 2007, Iowa added protections for gender identity to its civil rights code, but that has now changed. The new law also defines male and female based on an individual’s reproductive organs at birth. Other categories like race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, and disability status will still have protections under Iowa’s civil rights code.
Governor Reynolds has expressed her belief that this law is necessary to uphold “commonsense” distinctions between men and women. In a video, she stated that recognizing biological differences is crucial for ensuring equal protection for girls and women. She emphasized that the bill has been designed to clarify these differences.
Reynolds acknowledged that the issue is sensitive for many and that some people have misconceptions about what the bill entails. According to her, the law aligns Iowa with federal guidelines and many other states. She asserted that everyone in Iowa deserves respect and dignity, regardless of the law.
President Donald Trump showed his support for the bill shortly before it was signed, stating on Truth Social that he encourages Iowa to adopt it to remove what he calls “Radical Gender Ideology.” Critics, however, argue that this law will lead to increased discrimination against transgender individuals in various areas of life.
Democratic Iowa Representative Aime Wichtendahl, who is a transgender woman, voiced strong opposition to the bill. She contended that its goal is to erase transgender people from public life and to delegitimize their existence. Many gathered at the Iowa State Capitol to protest the bill, holding signs that read “Trans rights are human rights” and chanting, “No hate in our state!”
The grassroots advocacy group One Iowa plans to explore legal options against the law, as they work to understand its implications for enforcement. All Democrats in the state legislature voted against the bill, joined by five Republicans, but it ultimately passed.
This law is set to go into effect on July 1.
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