Transgender

In the year since Iowa lawmakers repealed state civil rights based on gender identity, transgender and nonbinary Iowans have experienced fear, anxiety and uncertainty. The historic legislation has forced transgender Iowans to contemplate their future in the state. Some have left, and others are navigating how to continue living in the state.

The Ames City Council passed an ordinance Tuesday prohibiting discrimination in employment, housing and education based on an individual’s gender identity. It comes about a year after the state removed gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights Act, which sparked some cities to adopt resolutions affirming local protections.

Transgender Iowans on Medicaid, the health insurance program for low-income individuals, are having to find other ways to pay for some gender-affirming care after state lawmakers passed restrictions in the 2025 legislative session.