Iowa’s civil rights law currently protects against discrimination based on race, color, creed, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion, national origin or disability status.
Sexual orientation and gender identity were not originally included in the state's Civil Rights Act of 1965. They were added by the Democratic-controlled Legislature in 2007, also with the support of about a dozen Republicans across the two chambers.
The current bill’s supporters, many of whom will also testify before lawmakers, say that was a mistake. They argue that it incorrectly codified the idea that people can transition to another gender and granted males who claim they are females access to spaces such as bathrooms, locker rooms and sports teams that should be protected for people who are biological females.
The bill would remove gender identity as a protected class and explicitly define female and male, as well as gender, which would be considered a synonym for sex and “shall not be considered a synonym or shorthand expression for gender identity, experienced gender, gender expression, or gender role.”
If it passes in both the Iowa House and Senate, which currently have GOP majorities, it would go to Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds' desk.
