On February 24, 2025, hundreds of protesters gathered at the Iowa State Capitol to oppose HSB242, a bill seeking to eliminate gender identity as a protected class under the Iowa Civil Rights Act. This legislation would redefine "sex" as the biological sex assigned at birth and enforce that birth certificates reflect this designation for transgender individuals. Since 2007, Iowa's Civil Rights Act has shielded trans and non-binary individuals from discrimination, and if HSB242 becomes law, it would represent a historic step backward in civil rights for the state. Demonstrators expressed fierce opposition, with some arrests occurring as tensions rose during legislative discussions.
The bill, HSB242, would remove gender identity as a protected class in the Iowa Civil Rights Act, redefining "sex" to mean male or female at birth.
Hundreds of protesters filled the Iowa State Capitol building on Monday (24 February) as lawmakers began fast-tracking a bill that would end protections for trans people.
If signed into law, it would be the first time Iowa has removed a protected class from its civil rights law barring discrimination.
Several Democrats spoke against the proposed law, including representative Ross Wilburn, whose trans son is believed to have moved out of the state due to anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.
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