Transgender in Iowa: Know Your Rights
Last updated: July 28, 2025 04:40 pm
Starting July 1, 2025, Iowa's heartless removal of gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights Act goes into effect. The Iowa Legislature voted to strip away some state-level legal protections belonging to transgender Iowans since 2007, and Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the legislation.
No one knows the full impact of this change. The courts, and, of course, impacted Iowans, will have to sort that out in the years to come.
Meanwhile, we want everyone to know that transgender Iowans still have rights—including protection against discrimination. This change to the Iowa Civil Rights Act does not make discrimination morally right, and in many cases, it doesn’t actually make it legal. That is because the Iowa Civil Rights Act was just one type of legal protection, however important, and many others still exist.
No matter what, know that we at the ACLU of Iowa are with you. We will keep working for an Iowa where everyone is free and equal. We know that history is on our side. We take a long view, and we are not going anywhere.
Related Content
Iowa Legislature Should Not Repeal Protections for Transgender Iowans
Stay Informed
Sign up to be the first to hear about how to take action.
By completing this form, I agree to receive occasional emails per the terms of the ACLU’s privacy statement.
By completing this form, I agree to receive occasional emails per the terms of the ACLU’s privacy statement.