IOWA, the upper Midwestern United States, has officially become the first state in the U.S. to remove gender identity protections from its civil rights law. Governor Kim Reynolds signed the bill into law on Friday, and it will take effect on July 1. This decision has sparked outrage among LGBTQ+ advocates, who fear it will lead to discrimination.
The new law removes gender identity from the list of protected categories in Iowa’s civil rights code. This protection was originally added in 2007. The law also defines "male" and "female" based on reproductive organs at birth, rejecting the idea that someone can transition to another gender. Supporters of the law, mainly Republicans, argue that gender identity protections conflict with policies restricting transgender people from using certain bathrooms, locker rooms, and sports teams.
Governor Reynolds defended the bill, saying in a social media video, “It’s common sense to recognize the clear biological differences between men and women.” She claimed that the previous law had “blurred the lines” between the sexes.
The bill moved fast through Iowa’s Legislature, passing just a week after it was introduced. All Democratic lawmakers voted against it, along with five Republican House members.
Iowa Representative Aime Wichtendahl, the state’s first openly transgender lawmaker, spoke emotionally before the final vote. “I transitioned to save my life,” she said. “This bill, like all anti-trans bills, aims to erase us from public life and stigmatize our existence.”
On Thursday, hundreds of LGBTQ+ activists gathered at the Iowa Capitol, holding signs that read “Trans rights are human rights” and chanting, “No hate in our state!” The protest saw a heavy police presence, and some demonstrators became visibly emotional as the bill passed.
U.S President Donald Trump, who previously signed an executive order defining legal sex categories at the federal level, voiced his support for the Iowa bill on his social media platform, Truth Social.
Republican Representative Steven Holt, a supporter of the bill, argued that since lawmakers originally added gender identity protections, they also have the power to remove them.
Legal experts and advocacy groups, including LGBTQ+ rights organization One Iowa, plan to challenge the law in court. Keenan Crow, the group's policy director, criticized the bill’s wording and vowed to explore all possible legal options.
While not every U.S. state includes gender identity in its civil rights laws, Iowa is now the first to actively remove such protections. The state’s Supreme Court has previously ruled that discrimination based on sex does not automatically cover gender identity.
Starting July 1, Iowa’s civil rights law will still protect people from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, and creed, but no longer gender identity. LGBTQ+ advocates warn that this change could lead to legal battles and make it harder for transgender Iowans to find jobs, housing, and fair treatment in public spaces.