Restoring Sanity

This week the Iowa House passed a bill that would remove gender identity as a protected class from the Iowa Civil Rights code, and codify a basic biological reality — that there are only two genders; male and female.

Over the past few years, the legislature has taken action to pass common sense protections that Iowans strongly support. Whether it be our bill to protect children's bathrooms and locker rooms, our bill to keep biological men out of women’s sports, or our bill to prohibit gender transition procedures on children, Iowans have spoken loud and clear that they support these common sense pieces of legislation.

Unfortunately, all of these policies are at risk so long as gender identity remains a specified protected class in Iowa code. Most Iowans believe that taxpayers should not be on the hook to pay for someone else’s gender transition procedures.

However, that is exactly what is happening as a direct result of gender identity being in our civil rights code. In a 2019 Iowa Supreme Court ruling, the courts said that Iowa taxpayers must fund sex reassignment surgeries for Iowans on Medicaid because our civil rights law includes gender identity. So long as gender identity remains in Iowa Code, the other common sense policies we have passed are also at risk of suffering the same legal fate.

Every Iowan deserves to have their rights protected and to be treated with dignity and respect. Despite what some have said, this bill does not take away rights from transgender individuals. Current code actually results in the infringement of many Iowans’ rights, particularly women.

In the name of gender identity, women have lost their right to privacy, to play their own sports, and their right to female-only spaces. Current code infringes on the rights of anyone who questions or disagrees with gender identity theory.

I've also heard from some that this bill will legalize discrimination against transgender Iowans — that is simply not the case. At least 27 states do not have gender identity specified in their civil rights code, and neither does the federal civil rights code.

Even the Biden Administration did not deem it necessary to push for adding gender identity to the federal civil rights code. It’s important to note that many entities will still be able to implement whatever policy they see fit when it comes to gender in accordance with Iowa law. The difference is that it will be their own decision, and it won't be compelled by state law.

Here is what the bill does and does not do:

Iowa and Federal Law will continue to protect:

All Iowans’ from employment discrimination.

All Iowans' from housing discrimination.

All Iowans’ freedom of speech.

All Iowans’ freedom of religion.

All Iowans’ freedom of assembly.

All Iowans’ freedom of protest.

All Iowans’ right to due process.

All Iowans’ right to property.

All Iowans’ right to vote.

Much, much more.

This bill will not protect:

The ability to use public bathrooms, dressing rooms, and showers designated for the opposite sex.

The ability for biological males to gain access to prison cells, homeless shelters, domestic abuse shelters, and other spaces designated for females.

The ability for biological males to participate in sports designated for females, taking away women’s opportunity to participate on the team and do so safely and fairly.

Free sex reassignment surgeries or hormone treatments paid for by Iowa taxpayers.

The ability to file legal complaints against a business or an individual that believes there are only two genders, and acts and speaks accordingly.

It's time to restore sanity when it comes to the issue of gender, and this bill does exactly that.

Rep. Taylor Collins

Rep. Taylor Collins resides in Mediapolis and represents Iowa House District 95, encompassing all of Louisa, and large parts of Des Moines, Henry, and Muscatine Counties.