In Des Moines, Iowa, the state Capitol was the scene of intense protests on Monday as demonstrators voiced their opposition to a legislative bill aimed at removing gender identity protections from the state’s civil rights code. The chants of “trans rights are human rights” resonated loudly through the building as Republican legislators pressed forward with the controversial measure.
The bill managed to clear two legislative hurdles on Monday, moving through the state House Judiciary Committee with backing from Republican members. However, it faced opposition from all Democratic members on the committee and one Republican, who voted against advancing the measure to the full House.
Several hundred demonstrators congregated at the state Capitol’s rotunda, waving rainbow flags and bearing signs criticizing the proposed legislation. During a subcommittee meeting, opponents of the bill argued that it would open transgender individuals in Iowa to potential discrimination.
“This bill sends a message that our community members—be they neighbors, students, or family—are deemed unworthy of the same protections and rights others enjoy,” stated Mandi Remington, a county supervisor and activist from eastern Johnson County.
Iowa’s civil rights law presently provides safeguards against discrimination relating to employment, wages, public accommodations, housing, education, and credit practices, based on attributes including race, gender identity, sexual orientation, and other factors. Gender identity and sexual orientation were added to Iowa’s Civil Rights Act in 2007 under a Democratic-majority legislature, with bipartisan support.
Supporters of the current bill contend that the 2007 inclusion was a misstep, arguing that it erroneously legitimized gender transition and allowed transgender women to access certain female-designated spaces like bathrooms and sports teams.
House Speaker Pat Grassley noted that the Republican caucus is examining the issue this session after a legal ruling invoked the gender identity protections, which threatened newly implemented “common sense” policies safeguarding gender-specific spaces.
In recent years, many Republican-majority states, including Iowa, have enacted legislation to limit sports participation and public bathroom access. Meanwhile, various executive orders have emerged concerning transgender policies.
Amber Williams, representing Inspired Life, a Christian advocacy group, argued that the bill upholds women’s rights by preserving spaces intended to ensure dignity and safety. “The legislation offers legal clarity, safeguarding sex-based rights from being overruled by variable definitions of gender,” remarked Williams.
Besides removing gender identity as a protected category, the proposed bill would define female, male, and gender itself as equivalent to sex, explicitly excluding interpretations related to experienced gender or gender roles.
Currently, nearly half of U.S. states include gender identity in their civil rights statutes to prevent discrimination in public and private spaces. In some states, anti-discrimination protections are understood through legal interpretation rather than explicit legislation. Nonetheless, Iowa’s Supreme Court has explicitly denied that sex-based discrimination encompasses gender identity discrimination.
If enacted, this legislation would mark the first instance of a state revoking existing statutory nondiscrimination protections explicitly covering gender identity, as highlighted by the Movement Advancement Project.
The bill is now slated for debate and a vote on the House floor. Should it pass, it would proceed to the state Senate for consideration before reaching Governor Kim Reynolds for potential approval into law.
