Iowa Governor Signs Bill Ending Transgender Civil Rights Protections

Iowa’s Republican governor signed a bill into law on Friday that removes state civil rights protections for transgender individuals. This move has made Iowa the first state to eliminate such broad and specific protections for the transgender community, according to L.G.B.T.Q. rights advocates.

Governor Kim Reynolds, who had previously signed laws restricting gender-transition treatments for minors and transgender women’s participation in sports, stated in a video message that the Civil Rights Code had blurred the biological line between the sexes.

Despite protests and warnings from Democrats about potential discrimination and harassment, the Republican-backed bill passed both legislative chambers with significant support.

During a debate over the bill, State Representative Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, a Democrat, expressed concerns about creating a caste system where Iowa transgender citizens do not have the same rights as others.

The signing of the Iowa legislation comes as the Trump administration moves to limit official recognition of transgender identity nationwide. The administration’s actions include seeking to end funding for hospitals providing gender-transition treatments to minors and barring transgender individuals from various activities.

The Iowa law defines sex based on anatomy at birth and removes gender identity from the list of protected groups against discrimination. Discrimination protections for gay and lesbian individuals remain intact.

Governor Reynolds stated that the new law safeguards the rights of women and girls by acknowledging biological differences between men and women.

On the federal level, the Supreme Court has ruled that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects gay and transgender individuals from workplace discrimination. However, efforts to expand these protections beyond the workplace have not succeeded in Congress.

Over 20 states, mainly led by Democrats, have explicit employment discrimination protections for transgender individuals. Iowa initially implemented civil rights protections for transgender individuals in 2007 when Democrats held the majority in the legislature and governor’s office.

Despite voting for Barack Obama twice, Iowa has supported Mr. Trump in recent elections, leading to Republican dominance in state politics.

Governor Reynolds and the Republican-led Legislature have enacted conservative priorities into Iowa law, including restrictions on abortion and bans on certain books in school libraries. Democrats, including transgender State Representative Aime Wichtendahl, have faced challenges in opposing these measures.

Ms. Wichtendahl emphasized the impact of the new law on transgender individuals’ rights to jobs, housing, and financial services, calling it a deprivation of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.

Republicans defended the bill by expressing concerns about potential lawsuits against other laws protecting transgender individuals if gender identity remained included in civil rights guarantees.

Amy Harmon contributed reporting.