A federal judge has blocked Title IX protections for LGBTQ students from taking effect in Iowa and several other Republican-led states.
The Biden administration this year issued new Title IX rules that extend prohibitions on sex-based discrimination in education to discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Under the rules, Iowa could possibly lose federal education funding because of restrictions on transgender students’ use of certain bathrooms. An Iowa law passed in 2023 requires people to use school bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their sex assigned at birth.
In May, Iowa joined Missouri, Arkansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota in a lawsuit against the rules.
I’m proud that Iowa is part of this lawsuit.Gov. Kim Reynolds
The rules were scheduled to take effect Aug. 1, but a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking their enforcement
“Another federal judge has blocked the Biden-Harris administration’s attempt to apply Title IX protections intended for girls to biological boys who identify as girls,” Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds said in a statement. “The definitions of ‘sex’ and ‘gender identity’ are different, just as biological males and females are different. I’m proud that Iowa is part of this lawsuit and I’ll never stop defending the rights of women of all ages.”
The Title IX changes do not address state bans on transgender athletes competing in women's and girls' sports.
Reynolds also signed a law banning the use of medications and surgeries to help minors physically align with their gender identity, and another law requiring schools to notify parents if a student asks to use different pronouns.
“We had a slew of anti-LGBTQ bills both here in the state of Iowa and really across the country,” said Damian Thompson, director of external affairs for Iowa Safe Schools. “So it was noble of the Biden administration to seek to take the right steps to ensure that LGBTQ students are prohibited from being discriminated against or harassed.”
Thompson said the federal judge’s decision to block the rules was disappointing, but not surprising. He said it’s not the final word on the matter because it is likely to reach the U.S. Supreme Court, and there are still some state laws in place that protect LGBTQ Iowans and students.
But he said under Iowa’s restrictions, some transgender students don’t feel safe using the bathroom.
“We have students who present as male that are now being forced to use the women’s restroom, which seems to be a bit contradictory to what the folks pushing this agenda are trying to achieve,” Thompson said.
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird described the court blocking the Title IX changes as a “victory” against a “woke gender ideology mandate.”
“No schoolgirl should be robbed of the opportunity to compete and succeed in the sports they love or be forced to share restrooms and shower spaces with boys,” Bird said in a statement. “I will continue fighting to protect opportunity and privacy for young women across the country and to make this win permanent.”
