Iowa House and Senate lawmakers are likely to vote Thursday on a bill to remove gender identity from the Iowa law that protects against discrimination in areas including housing and employment.
The plan drew hundreds of protesters, who packed the Capitol rotunda Thursday morning during a public hearing held by the House Judiciary Committee, where nearly 170 people were signed up to speak. In that hearing, Ed Cranston of North Liberty told lawmakers that he opposes the bill because it would affect his grandson, who is transgender.
“He lives Iowa values. How in heaven’s name am I going to justify telling him your rights are being taken away? The rights of other students, the rights of the entire community,” Cranston said.
Supporters of the bill, like Ashley Novak of Milo, say they want to keep women and girls from encountering transgender women in spaces, such as bathrooms or changing rooms.
“In this country we have the freedom to dress and present ourselves as we wish, but we do not have the right to force others to affirm our decisions.”
Republican lawmakers have also said removing gender identity from Iowa’s civil rights code is necessary to uphold laws passed in recent years, which include a ban on gender-affirming health care for minors.
Protesters in the rotunda spilled into side hallways while chanting phrases like “No hate in our state,” “Stop stripping rights” and “You represent us.”
John Bonsall of Des Moines says the House and Senate bills are “unnecessary hatefulness.”
“These people, our legislators, apparently, in three days, can push through something to hate on people. But we can't clean up the water or the air or do anything to actually take care of Iowans or Iowa kids and the women that they seem to want to protect by hating on the trans people.”
Other protesters held pink and blue transgender flags and signs that read “Our existence is resistance,” “We won’t go back” and “They won’t stop at trans rights.”
