Last Updated on February 28, 2025
Iowa legislators made history by becoming the first in the country to pass a law that eliminates protections for gender identity from the state’s civil rights code. This decision was made amidst protests from hundreds of LGBTQ+ activists gathered at the Capitol rotunda to oppose this unprecedented move.
The bill, known as Senate File 583, which aims to remove gender identity as a protected class, was introduced just last week and rapidly pushed through the legislative process. The Iowa senate gave its approval to the bill along party lines, and the House followed suit an hour later.
Five House Republicans joined Democrats in voting against it.
Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds will likely sign the legislation, which would go into effect on July 1.
With the new law in place, gender identity no longer holds protected status under the state’s civil rights regulations. The terms “male” and “female” are explicitly defined, and it is specified that gender should not be used interchangeably with gender identity, experienced gender, gender expression, or gender role.
If enacted, the new law would mark the first legislative action in the US to rescind nondiscrimination protections based on gender identity.
LGBTQ+ advocates stormed into the Capitol building in a protest that Democrat lawmakers would consider an “insurrection” if organized by Trump supporters.
“No hate in our state!” the trans activists chanted, waving rainbow flags while surrounded by police and state troopers around the rotunda.
WATCH:
TRANSGENDER INSURRECTION AT IOWA STATE CAPITOL.pic.twitter.com/hS9GAUPQRJ
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) February 27, 2025
As The Guardian reports:
Of the 167 people who signed up to testify at the public hearing before a house committee, all but 24 were opposed to the bill. Each time a person who had spoken opened the hearing room door to leave, the roar of protesters outside filled the room, forcing repeated pauses.
To avoid delays, state troopers blocked off the hallway outside the room, creating a “natural buffer”, said the department of public safety commissioner, Stephan Bayens. The move was intended to allow the public hearing to proceed while also protecting first amendment rights to demonstrate, Bayens said.
Iowa currently protects against discrimination based on race, color, creed, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion, national origin or disability status under the state’s current civil rights laws. Gender identity was added to the civil rights code in 2007 under Democrat control of the legislature.
