On Friday, Iowa made history as the first U.S. state to officially strip gender identity protections from its civil rights law, a move that marks a significant step backward for transgender rights.
Republican Governor Kim Reynolds signed the controversial bill into law the day after it passed through the state’s Republican-controlled legislature, despite hours of passionate debate and widespread protests.
In a statement shared via social media, Reynolds defended the measure, which is set to take effect on July 1, claiming that it “safeguards the rights of women and girls.” She went on to argue that the previous Civil Rights Code “blurred the biological line between the sexes” and that this new law rectified that issue, aligning Iowa’s policies with what she described as the federal civil rights code.
This legislation is the latest blow to transgender Americans, following a series of actions under former President Donald Trump that targeted the transgender community. When Trump first took office, he declared that the federal government would recognize only two genders, men and women, and has since issued a range of executive orders that many argue have rolled back protections for transgender individuals.
Reynolds echoed these conservative viewpoints, stating that the new law brings Iowa “in line with the federal civil rights code,” a statement that resonates with her Republican allies. The bill was also praised by Trump, who took to Truth Social to express support, writing “Thank you Iowa!” and referencing his own efforts to combat what he has labeled “Radical Gender Ideology.”
This move comes after Reynolds previously signed other measures restricting the rights of transgender individuals in Iowa, including a ban on transgender students competing in sports events based on their gender identity and limitations on bathroom access. Each of these actions has been met with widespread criticism from LGBTQ+ advocates and allies.
The passage of this bill has sparked outrage across the nation, with critics condemning it as an attack on the civil rights of transgender people. “Today is a difficult day for all Iowans who rely on the rule of law to protect their basic human rights,” said Mark Stringer, the Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Iowa.
He called the law “unacceptable,” pointing out that Iowa had become the first state to specifically single out transgender individuals for the removal of their legal protections under the state’s anti-discrimination laws.
Transgender rights have become a divisive and highly politicized issue in the United States, with opponents of transgender protections framing them as a challenge to traditional values. Despite transgender people making up a small percentage of the population, these debates have sparked fierce political and social battles.
Ahead of the vote on Thursday, the Iowa State Capitol was flooded with hundreds of protesters waving rainbow flags and chanting “No hate in our state,” a stark reminder of the fierce opposition to the bill.
The measure now defines gender solely as a person’s sex at birth, stating that “gender shall not be considered a synonym or shorthand expression for gender identity, experienced gender, gender expression, or gender role.” It also removes gender identity from a list of categories that are legally protected from discrimination, alongside ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and age.
The passage of this law marks a dark day for transgender rights in Iowa, where the fight for equality and dignity continues to intensify. As the state takes a significant step backward, the battle for transgender protections on both a state and national level is far from over.
