Iowa enacts transgender bathroom bill and ban on gender-affirming care for minors
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed two bills into law Wednesday that affect transgender minors in the state.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed two bills into law Wednesday that affect transgender minors in the state.
One bill, Senate File 538, prevents doctors from administering gender-affirming care to those under 18. The other, Senate File 482, prevents trans students from entering school bathrooms or changing rooms that correspond with their gender identities.
The new laws are part of a broader effort among conservative lawmakers throughout the country to restrict the rights of LGBTQ Americans, especially transgender people. So far this year, more than 400 such proposals have been filed in state legislatures, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.
Supporters of the new Iowa laws say they are necessary to protect children's safety while using school restrooms and to prevent minors from making medical decisions they may later regret. Critics and LGBTQ advocates argue that the bills will have "devastating consequences" for trans youths and their families.
"This is not the first time that a government has abused its power at the expense of a small group of people," Mark Stringer, executive director of the ACLU of Iowa, said in a statement. "But in this case the target is children. That is shameful and cruel."
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