In a groundbreaking shift in civil rights legislation, Iowa has become the first state in American history to remove gender identity protections from its civil rights code. The controversial decision, signed into law by Governor Kim Reynolds on Friday, marks a significant change in how transgender individuals will be legally recognized and protected in the state.
What the new law changes
The legislation, which takes effect July 1, establishes strict biological definitions of male and female based on reproductive organs at birth. It removes previously existing protections that shielded transgender individuals from discrimination in areas such as housing, employment, and public accommodations.
Under the updated civil rights code, Iowa will continue to protect against discrimination based on:
– Race
– Color
– Creed
– Sex
– Sexual orientation
– Religion
– National origin
– Disability status
Political context and support
The measure received backing from former President Donald Trump, who had previously signed a federal executive order defining sex in biological terms. Governor Reynolds defended the law on social media, stating, “It’s common sense to acknowledge the obvious biological differences between men and women. In fact, it’s necessary to secure genuine equal protection for women and girls.”
Opposition and community response
The bill faced significant resistance, with all Democratic legislators and five House Republicans voting against it. Hundreds of LGBTQ+ advocates protested at the state Capitol, carrying signs reading “Trans rights are human rights” and chanting “No hate in our state!”
In an emotional address before the vote, state Rep. Aime Wichtendahl, speaking from her perspective as a transgender woman, declared, “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. The sum total of every anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ bill is to make our existence illegal.”
Historical significance and potential legal challenges
According to Logan Casey, director of policy research at the Movement Advancement Project, while not all states include gender identity in their civil rights codes, Iowa is the first to actively remove such protections after previously granting them. The original protections were added in 2007 with bipartisan support.
LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, including One Iowa, are currently analyzing the bill’s text and considering legal challenges. Keenan Crow, the organization’s director of policy and advocacy, indicated they will “pursue any legal options available to us.”
