Iowa lawmakers passed a bill to eliminate civil rights protections for transgender individuals, potentially making Iowa the first state to do so. The Republican-backed measure will be sent to the governor after passing 18 years post the establishment of such protections by Democrats. Advocates warned that the bill aims to erase transgender presence in public life, while supporters argued it would protect existing laws concerning gender-transition treatments and sports. Critics voiced concerns about increased discrimination and harassment against transgender individuals. The bill reflects significant shifts in national and state discourse on transgender issues amidst broader conservative social movements in Iowa.
Iowa legislators passed a bill on Thursday aimed at eliminating state civil rights protections for transgender individuals. Advocates for L.G.B.T.Q. rights warned that if the Republican-led proposal becomes law, Iowa would be the first state to remove such comprehensive protections for transgender people.
This bill, now awaiting the signature of the Republican governor, comes 18 years after the state, under Democratic leadership, established those essential protections against discrimination in Iowa law.
The discussions in Des Moines this week, where Democrats and protesters attempted unsuccessfully to lobby Republican lawmakers for a reconsideration, showcased the significant changes in discourse surrounding transgender issues nationwide and the shifting landscape in Iowa.
“The main aim of this bill, along with every other anti-trans bill, is to further erase our presence from public life and to stigmatize our existence,” expressed State Representative Aime Wichtendahl, a transgender Democrat.
Conversely, Republicans expressed concerns that keeping civil rights protections for gender identity could jeopardize other state laws—such as those that limit gender-transition treatments for minors and sports participation for transgender women—due to potential legal challenges.
“All of these reasonable policies could be at risk as long as gender identity is maintained in the Iowa civil rights code,” stated State Representative Steven Holt, a Republican who supports the bill, from the House floor.
The advancement of this legislation in Iowa coincides with the Trump administration’s efforts to restrict the official recognition of transgender identities.
The administration has pursued measures to cut funding for hospitals offering gender-transition treatments to minors, prevent transgender women and girls from participating in women’s sports, disallow openly transgender individuals from serving in the military, and mandate housing transgender women in federal prisons with men, as well as to eliminate the reflection of transgender individuals’ gender identities on passports.
The proposed Iowa legislation defines sex based on an individual’s anatomy at birth and excludes gender identity from the list of protected categories against discrimination in employment, housing, and services. However, it maintains discrimination protections for gay and lesbian individuals, which were enacted alongside gender identity protections.
During testimonies at the Capitol on Thursday, opponents of the bill cautioned lawmakers that the removal of civil rights protections could result in widespread discrimination and harassment against transgender people. Many supporters voiced their belief that sex is assigned at birth and expressed concerns regarding transgender women using women’s restrooms. Several speakers from both sides of the debate referenced their Christian beliefs.
“I’m appalled that biological males have the legal right in Iowa to invade my wife’s, daughters’, and granddaughters’ private spaces,” declared Chuck Hurley from The FAMiLY Leader, an Iowa-based group touting itself as a Christian ministry to government, as he addressed a legislative committee on Thursday.
Shortly after, Rev. Debbie Griffin, pastor of a church in Des Moines, implored lawmakers to reject the bill, cautioning that it “would endanger individuals who are already at risk of bullying and discrimination.”
At the federal level, the Supreme Court ruled a few years back that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 provides protections against workplace discrimination for gay and transgender individuals. Attempts by congressional Democrats to broaden the protections beyond the workplace have not succeeded.
Over 20 states, predominantly led by Democrats, have explicit employment discrimination protections for transgender individuals, as reported by the Movement Advancement Project, a think tank advocating for L.G.B.T.Q. rights.
A spokesperson for Governor Kim Reynolds, a Republican, did not respond immediately to inquiries regarding her stance on the legislation or her intention to sign it. She has previously approved laws banning gender-transition treatments for minors and prohibiting transgender girls and women from competing in women’s sports.
These legislative actions are part of a broader initiative by Iowa Republicans tackling social issues that have garnered voter support in recent elections. In recent years, Reynolds and the legislative Republicans have introduced laws that limit abortion, eliminate school library books deemed sexually explicit, and sanction state-level immigration enforcement.
Democrats have faced challenges in mounting opposition. Former President Barack Obama won Iowa twice, yet Republicans have gained significant ground since President Trump’s rise as the party leader. Trump won Iowa last year by approximately 13 percentage points, claiming victory in 94 of its 99 counties, while Republicans maintained substantial majorities in the state legislature. A sudden victory by a Democrat in a recent special election was a rare positive development for the party.
Amy Harmon contributed reporting.