DES MOINES, Iowa — Emotions ran high at the Iowa State Capitol on Tuesday as legislation impacting transgender Iowans passed through committee, making it eligible for a vote on the House floor.
Introduced by Gov. Kim Reynolds just last week, HSB 649 strictly defines terms such as "man", "woman" and "sex" to correlate solely with one's sex assigned at birth. Using those definitions, the bill stipulates that transgender Iowans could only use state facilities that correlate with their biological sex.
Additionally, the legislation would require anyone who has undergone gender-affirming surgery to put both the male and female gender markers on their birth certificates and driver's licenses.
"What I hear from the trans community is that they are proud to be trans and I guess that that would be okay to identify as that," said Rep. Brooke Boden, R-Indianola, during the subcommittee hearing.
Supporters of the bill say it is designed to ensure the safety of "biological females".
"Women are being forced to give up their rights to share bathrooms and locker rooms with biological males with no disregard for their safety or privacy," said Amber Williams, who supported the bill.
However, transgender Iowans expressed concern that the legislation would put them in danger.
"My community is terrified of the consequences this bill will have for our lives," said M Denney. "Trans people already face overwhelmingly employment and housing discrimination under existing law and the governor's bill will force us to out ourselves and open ourselves up to more violence."
Shellie Flockhart spoke in support of the legislation as a survivor of domestic abuse, saying separate facilities are necessary.
"I want to protect women to be able to have the groups and the resources that they need so they have a safe space," Flockhart said. "If I would have been put in a situation where it was men and women in the same group, I don't know if I would've come out of that."
The bill ultimately passed through a House subcommittee and the Education Committee. Some transgender Iowans and other LGBTQ+ allies say this might be the bill that gets them to leave Iowa.
"[Being transgender] is something that is integral to who I am," said Shea Daniels. "It can't be therapied out of me, it can't be beated out of me, it can't be legislated out of me, so we're here and we're gonna stay that way."
If the bill passes on the House floor, it must go through the same process on the Senate side before it can reach Reynolds' desk.
There is a public hearing scheduled on HF 2389 scheduled for Monday at 5 p.m.