Senate File 418—dubbed the “Iowa Civil Rights Removal Act” by many—passed the Iowa subcommittee about a month ago on Monday, Feb. 24. Despite the massive crowd of over a thousand protesters, this bill passed the full committee on Thursday, Feb. 27, and was signed into law by Gov. Kim Reynolds the next day. Here’s what it entails, its harmful impacts on transgender people and why you should care.
Supporters of this bill claim that it intends to “protect women and girls.” However, this bill damages Iowans in many ways by defining sex and gender in a way that excludes transgender and intersex people. Ironically, this could be used to discriminate against cisgender women and girls as well. This bill also removes transgender Iowans’ ability to change their gender marker on legal documents. One of the most devastating pieces of this bill completely removes gender identity as a protected class under Iowa’s Civil Rights Act. This will legalize open discrimination towards transgender people in areas such as housing, employment and education, disproportionately harming trans women of color.
As of right now, the passing of this bill makes Iowa the first state to ever remove a protected class from their Civil Rights Act. This bill will be nothing short of devastating for transgender Iowans. Once it takes effect, trans and nonbinary individuals will undoubtedly be the target of open discrimination and harm. This bill will allow a landlord to kick someone out, an employer to fire someone, a restaurant to deny service and a university to deny someone their education–simply because they are transgender. A friend of mine, who wishes to remain anonymous, stated,
“…they could fire us, evict us, kick us out of college for no reason. Like, even if someone like Hunter Shafer worked somewhere with a gendered dress code and the boss didn’t like her, he could fire her for not following the male dress code. They want us all to be homeless.”
Over 2,500 people came to protest this bill in the Capitol. In both the subcommittee and full committee hearings, the treatment these protestors faced by the officers was harsh, as many had to lock arms and form a barricade to keep them from breaking up the crowd. At the first protest, several people were arrested and attacked by the officers. My friend recounted to me witnessing a woman get slapped in the face and people getting thrown to the ground.
“They shoved my friend to the ground, and he went into anaphylactic shock and is concussed. He still came [to the full committee protest], though.”
I was personally able to attend the full committee protest, and it was very intense. At one point, I recall doorways being blocked off and officers surrounding the crowd from every direction. Protesters prepared to get kettled and arrested. Many officers had zip-tie handcuffs pulled out and ready. Some of them looked directly at us. Some had their hands on their tasers. Some on their guns.
Police brutality toward LGBTQ+ folks isn’t a new thing. It is something that we came into the protest prepared for and that we will likely have to keep watching out for, especially given the precedent that this bill sets for the state, along with the general political climate present in our country as a whole right now.
However, this is only the beginning. Now that this bill has been signed, that could mean bigger issues for the country at large. Given that this bill removes a protected class from a state’s Civil Rights Act, it will likely be challenged in the courts. Depending on the ruling, it could set a precedent for national law, removing trans people from Civil Rights protections nationwide.
That’s not all, though. As many have pointed out, the rhetoric used is comparable to old “separate but equal” laws, as in one section of the bill where it says,
“The term ‘equal’ does not mean ‘same’ or ‘identical'” (26.f.) and “Separate accommodations are not inherently unequal” (27.g.).
My question is, if equal doesn’t mean same or identical, then what do these lawmakers think it means? As history has shown us, separate but equal is under no circumstances ever the same as equality–the fact that our legislature is trying to bring back the idea, along with the many other political actions that have taken place recently, has implications that are absolutely terrifying, to say the least.
Because let’s be honest – this isn’t just about trans people. Open discrimination toward marginalized groups of people is on the rise in this country, and legalizing it for one group is only the beginning. As many opponents of anti-trans bills have pointed out, a lot of the anti-trans rhetoric that we hear about bathrooms, sports and locker rooms is strikingly similar to the same rhetoric that has been used to try to justify segregation laws. Or, as one of the protest signs put it, “It was never about bathrooms, just like it was never about water fountains.”
This bill officially takes effect on July 1. If you, the reader, care not only about the rights of the transgender community but about human rights in general, then I ask you to please take action. While this bill has already been signed, there are still things that can be done to help the transgender community. One of those things is to call your representatives! There are still many anti-trans bills that are getting pushed through our legislature. Annoy your representatives with calls and letters, telling them how much you disapprove! Another thing is to stay engaged, informed and supportive of the LGBTQ+ community because harmful bills are likely to keep coming. Trans Day of Visibility is on March 31, so try to see if there are any events going on in your community to celebrate!
Simpson’s own PRIDE Club offers a safe and inclusive space for LGBTQ+ people and allies and meets in Dunn 208 on Thursdays at 8 p.m. PRIDE Club is also hosting its annual Drag Show on Tuesday, April 1, in Black Box from 8-10 p.m. Your fellow students will perform alongside local drag professionals, and some of your favorite Simpson faculty/staff will provide commentary and judging. Everyone 18+ is free to come and show their support!
Follow @simpco_pride on Instagram for more information and updates.