Iowa becomes first state to remove gender identity from civil rights code

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/iowa-becomes-first-state-to-remove-gender-identity-from-civil-rights-code/ar-AA1HMed4?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=36dddb8ca07646a2d6c67864a0c16126&ei=146

Story by Kalé Carey (1 July 2025)

As of July 1, Iowa is now the first state to strip gender identity protections from its civil rights code. The move means transgender and nonbinary residents are no longer considered part of a protected class, opening the door to potential discrimination in housing, employment, and other areas of life.

Iowa's Republican governor and supporters of the new law say it "safeguards the rights of women and girls."

"It is common sense to acknowledge the obvious biological difference between men and women. In fact, it's necessary to secure genuine equal protection for women and girls," Gov. Kim Reynolds said in a video statement upon signing the law in February. "These commonsense protections were at risk, because before I signed this bill, the civil rights code blurred the biological line between the sexes."

In the months since the law passed, many people in the transgender community have expressed concerns over the possibility of being denied housing or employment.

One attorney told KCRG in Cedar Rapids even with the law on the books, it'll be difficult for employers or businesses to discriminate because there are still federal laws blocking it, as well as local laws.

However, housing protections are more vulnerable, according to another legal expert, who noted there is less oversight when it comes to landlords and rental practices.

As an Iowan, I don't have adequate words to describe how far downhill this state has fallen since I was a teenager. It used to be a pretty good state to live in. First in the nation for education and a decent standard of living. It has always had its problems, and even when I was a kid stuff like casual racism was common. But since KKKim Reynolds took over, it was a very fast descent into open bigotry and Christian Nationalism. Racism is more prominent now than I ever remember it being, as is hate toward LGBTQ people and immigrants of all varieties. On top of all that, our water quality has fallen to among the worst in the nation, we are low on the scale for education, and second in the nation for cancer rates. Now we've set a new low, by becoming the first in the nation to remove civil rights from people.