Hunter
02/13/24
Hundreds of Iowans came to the state capitol Monday night to voice their opinions on a proposed bill that would define “man” and “woman” in state law.
The Des Moines Register reports two dozen Iowans spoke at an hour-long public hearing on the bill, while outside in the Capitol rotunda, hundreds of protesters with LGBTQ+ and transgender rights flags shouted and cheered throughout the hearing.
Gov. Kim Reynolds introduced the controversial bill earlier this month. The legislation would define sex, female, male, woman, girl, man, boy, father and mother in state law, and require new birth certificates for transgender Iowans to include the sex assigned at birth and current identity.
Republicans advanced the bill last week through subcommittee and committee hearings over the course of an afternoon despite the objections of Democrats and advocates. The original bill was amended to remove language requiring transgender Iowans to get a new marking on their driver’s license to identify their sex assigned at birth and current identity.
Transgender Iowans who spoke at the hearing accused lawmakers of trying to “erase” them, while others urged legislators to pass the bill in the name of “biological truth.” A large crowd of protesters gathered in the hall, chanting slogans like “you will not erase us,” “we won’t play your game, that’s not why we came,” and afterwards chanted “we’ll keep showing up” while shouting expletives directed at the governor.