Transgender in Iowa
Last updated: August 18, 2026 04:25 pm
In July 2025, "gender identity" was heartlessly stripped from the Iowa Civil Rights Act. That means important state-level legal protections and remedies belonging to transgender Iowans since 2007 are no longer in place.
This change to the Iowa Civil Rights Act does not make discrimination morally right, and in a number of cases, fortunately, it also doesn’t make it legal. That's because the Iowa Civil Rights Act was just one type of legal protection for Iowans who are transgender, gender-fluid, or have other gender identities. Other protections still exist, including those prohibiting discrimination based on sex and gender.
No matter what, know that the ACLU of Iowa is with you. We will keep working for a state where everyone is free and equal. We know that history is on our side.
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