Iowa Lawmakers Reject Bill to Remove Gender Identity from Civil Rights Protections

Iowans celebrated as lawmakers rejected a bill that would have removed gender identity protections from the state's civil rights law. The bill aimed to add gender dysphoria to the definition of a disability and remove gender identity protections from the Iowa Civil Rights Act. LGBTQ rights groups and allies packed the Capitol to protest the bill, with emotional testimonies from transgender individuals and their supporters. Lawmakers who opposed the bill emphasized the importance of protecting civil rights and expressed reluctance to revisit the Iowa Civil Rights Act.