Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed a bill that removes gender identity from the state’s civil rights law, making it the first state to do so. The bill was passed by the Republican-majority state Senate and House along party lines, with Reynolds stating that it safeguards the rights of women and girls by clarifying biological distinctions between the sexes and eliminating taxpayer funding for gender reassignment surgeries. The bill aims to strengthen protections for women and girls while removing gender identity from the list of protected classes in the Iowa Civil Rights Act.
The law also requires that birth certificates reflect a person’s sex assigned at birth and eliminates the ability for transgender individuals to update their birth certificates with a notarized affidavit from a doctor confirming their transition. Iowa State Representative Aime Wichtendahl, the first openly transgender person elected to the state’s General Assembly, spoke out against the bill, stating that it revokes protections in areas such as housing and access to credit, ultimately depriving individuals of their rights to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.
Wichtendahl shared her own experience of facing discrimination and losing her home after coming out publicly as transgender at work. She emphasized the emotional impact and humiliation of losing one’s home due to discrimination. The bill has sparked debate and criticism, with opponents arguing that it undermines the rights and protections of LGBTQ individuals in Iowa.
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