Meeting Public Comments

Names and comments are public records. Remaining information is considered a confidential record.

Comments Submitted:

02-23-2025

Laura Carlson

Thank you for taking up HSB 242 regarding gender theory and gender identity. The entire federal government recognizes man, woman, male, female, and that we are born one gender and we cannot change our DNA. Please pass this study bill and return Iowa to science based law. No one is asking for a law so discriminate against others. We want to go to the swimming pool and feel safe. When my child was five a man claiming to be a woman was in the women's dressing room undressing. Because of "gender identity", he was allowed to fully undress in the dressing room with us women with small children. I never returned to that aquatic center. We want to return to common sense and safe practices. This use of fluid identity causes harm to children and women. Homeschool Day at the Capital was cancelled due to the past behaviors of protestors exercising their "free speech rights" regarding this type of bill, which ends up infringing and trampling on others' rights. A majority of Iowans support this study bill. No one wants to hurt people struggling with mental health issues. We want our right to speak protected as well.

02-24-2025

Teresa Rader

Please reject bill 242. I believe in both faith and science, those stating there are only 2 biological sexes have not thoroughly studied science. The faith I believe in would not further subject a marginalized group to fewer civil protections under law. My Nonbinary child deserves just as much protection as your cis gendered child. I am not some extremist with "Ultra liberal" ideal I am just a normal mom that supports their child. Most good parents just want their children to be safe and happy. parents of cis gendered children fear Trans gender people using the same restroom, dressing rooms etc. Transgender people just want a safe place as well. they are not pedophiles just people who want to live their authentic lives safely. Transgender people are far more at risk and at danger from the public at large than cis gendered people ever will be. Why is it so hard for Christians to be Christ like and love they neighbor even if they don't look and act like you. Is that really Christian. Transgender people do not want to harm others or "turn others trans" they just want to be. Please let them be.

02-24-2025

Jocelyn Krueger

I am here to write against, removing gender identity as a protected class. I disagree with the notion that this change in the bill will not be a green light to hate and discriminate, it will, or that the 28 states that do not have gender identity in their Civil Rights protections do not allow discrimination against trans people, they do. My lived experience runs counter to that notion.Until 2020, I lived in a state where gender identity was not a protected class. I regularly faced discrimination, inperson, to my face, because of my gender identity, and was told, to my face, it was because I was hated and they could get away with it because gender identity was not a protected class. My stories are something that would become common, should this bill pass.A few years ago, on Valentines Day, we picked up our toddler from day care. She was excited from her day of learning and the holiday activities at school. It was her first Valentines where she was old enough to think about, express, and celebrate how she wanted to. She wanted to celebrate Valentines Day as a family with Oreos and milk.So I went to the local grocery store to get some Oreos and milk and went to pay with my debit card when the cashier asked to see my id. I dont know how many of you get carded for cookies and milk, but as a trans person in Indiana, I got carded all the time, no matter what I was buying. The cashier looked at my id, looked at me, and handed it back saying he couldnt take it, that it wasnt me. I tried to pay in cash instead but was told to leave and that We dont serve you people here. I was shocked and demoralized, humiliated and wondering how I was going to explain coming home, without milk and cookies, because of someones hate or fear, to a toddler who only wanted to celebrate Valentines Day with her family.I approached multiple lawyers and statewide rights organizations, I approached my local Human Rights office about filing a discrimination complaint or lawsuit. I was repeatedly, at every turn, told that there was no case because Indiana did not protect gender identity in its state Civil Rights law. I couldnt shop there anymore.I was denied service in restaurants and clothing stores and for dental care. One time I went to a doctor with a high fever with what turned out to be strep throat. That doctor refused to see me, saying he didnt treat transgender patients. I know people denied service at soup kitchens, pet boarders, movie theaters, and snow removal, all because of who they, we are. There is something seriously wrong with a society that thinks that its okay, necessary even, to deny people access to food, clothing, or health care simply for who they are. Yet this is the future Iowans would face if this bill passes.

02-24-2025

Esther Ulruch

Please vote no on this bill. Science tells us there is more than two gender identities. Transpeople are not pedophiles, in fact data shows that they are a vulnerable population that is discriminated against. Removing civil rights protection goes against everything that Iowa is suppose to stand for. LGBTQ people will be targeted because this bill will give the green light to do so. Iowa will lose many more people who will flee the state because of these laws. I am also a proud parent of a trans person who does not feel safe to live here. Please vote NO.

02-24-2025

Michael Roberts

I OPPOSE HSB 242. This bill removes civil rights protections from marginalized groups and legalizes discrimination. This is a part of the cynical republican campaign to victimize trans and nongender conforming people. Please reject this bill. Say no to hate in our state.

02-24-2025

Chelsea Jean

Please REJECT this billOur state motto includes the phrase Our rights we shall maintain!This is the exact opposite of what Iowa is.This also doesnt help anything, this doesnt bring down the cost of eggs, this doesnt help the economy. This isnt why people voted for Republicans!

02-24-2025

Andrew Barsky

The only purpose that this law serves is to make it legal to discriminate against transgender people. Civil rights protections are an absolute necessity in order to protect marginalized groups; this law is absolutely abhorrent. This law includes the direct quote "Separate accommodations are not inherently unequal". Justice Earl Warren had something to say about this mentality back in 1954, in his famous decision in Brown v Board (though he was discussing race, I think the general principle still very much applies especially given the specific wording here). I vehemently OPPOSE this bill. Please VOTE AGAINST THIS BILL.

02-24-2025

Michael Brodie

Iowa lawmakers, history will remember this moment, not as a debate but as a disgrace. Stripping legal protections from trans Iowans isnt policy, it is statesponsored cruelty, a desperate attempt to punch down while ignoring real issues like healthcare, wages, and education. No ones life improves by taking rights away from others. This isnt leadership, it is cowardice wrapped in bigotry. The people of Iowa deserve better than politicians using hate as a distraction. We see through it, and we wont forget.

02-24-2025

Erica Finken

I OPPOSE HSB 242. This bill removes civil rights protections from marginalized groups and legalizes discrimination. This is a part of the republican campaign to make trans and nongender conforming people "lesser than". Please reject this bill. Say no to hate in our state.

02-24-2025

Chelsea Mumm

We should not be in the business of stripping rights from people. There seems to be a misinformed belief that by stating in the Iowa Civil Rights Act that protected classes of people deserve the same rights as any other Iowan somehow takes rights away from the average Iowan. You know that this is not the case. This bill is purely based on personal beliefs that transgender people do not deserve basic civil rights. How cruel for our government to scapegoat a community that is already more likely to face discrimination, hatred and cruelty for simply existing. LGBTQ people only make up around 3% of Iowa's population, which means transgender people make up even less. Why are we targeting this small community?

02-24-2025

Michael Acevedo

Vote no on this bill. Trans people exist and this bill will just take away rights from a people that are already marginalized. Iowa has a history of supporting civil rights, do not reverse this. Iowa has a long tradition of being on the forefront of civil rights, do not reverse this.

02-24-2025

Ethan Fuhrman

This legislation presents a legitimate threat to minority rights in this state. As the author has stated in the public record, this legislation represents a strike against the "octopus" of civil rights. He has stated that his ultimate goal is to eradicate all tentacles of that octopus. Legal discrimination based on age, race, debility, sex, creed, and/or nationality are seemingly all possibilities should this legislation go forward. Furthermore, this legislation if passed would expose the state to legal liability under the precedent set in Romer v Evans (1996). This bill is cruel, barbaric, idiotic, regressive, and should be consigned to the dustbin of history.

02-24-2025

Samantha Gaffney-Chaloupka

Please oppose HSB 242! We should not be removing civil rights protections from marginalized Iowans. Trans people are people. People who dont fit into traditional gender norms are also people. These human beings are facing increasing hatred, abuse, and discrimination, and bills like this seek to take away what protection there is against this discrimination. OPPOSE HSB 242!

02-24-2025

Nadia Tornabane

I strongly oppose this bill as it removes rights from Iowans like me who are just trying to live their lives. Passing this bill will give the appearance of bigotry and will do nothing to help Iowans.This is not what our tax dollars should be spent on. This is fraud waste and abuse being of Iowan tax dollars and it is not going unnoticed.

02-24-2025

Amy Barret

no on this bill! This is a legislative act to roll back crucial civil rights and protections for Iowans!!!There are plants and animals that have shown to shift genders and biological sex characteristics. A state of transition suggests that gender is subjective. This would be used to ensure that hatred could be used to make a life in Iowa impossible unless you dress and groom yourself explicitly to your assumed gender. At a time we need to attract working families to this state, this law would do the opposite of what is best for Iowa.This would be used to promote criminalization of innocent Iowans just because they dont dress explicitly to their gender. Gender has nothing to do with sex characteristics. How will Iowa reasonably enforce this act of hated and harm? Are those accused going to have to prove they can reproduce? What about men and women who lost this ability or are unable to due to age, health, or genetics? What about intersex people?If this law passes, Iowa will show that its motto is a lie. Do what is best for Iowa and stop this madness hellbent on stripping rights of the people.

02-24-2025

Amy Johnson

This law saves nothing, but cost everything: legislative time and resources, our family and friends, our civil liberties, our freedom, our hope, and our souls. What good is it to gain the whole world and lose our souls? No actual Christian should in good conscience support laws that hurt people. Choose today whom you will serve. All humans deserve fair treatment under the law.

02-24-2025

Conner Stillwater

Please reject this bill, HSB 242, from going any further through the legislature. It is a farce, and does nothing to help anybody. Itat bestwill have no effect, but realistically all this does is hurt a section of Iowans who've committed no crimes but exist. Do not pass this bill.

02-24-2025

LINDSAY Neff

Please vote NO on this awful bill that is trying to get passed today. Trans people have literally ZERO history of harming others. They literally just want to live their lives how they see fit and in the way that feels original to them. This legislation is a waste of taxpayers money to appease the rightwingers who are apparently scared of anyone who isn't a cis white male. Utterly unacceptable. Do better.

02-24-2025

Andrea Uptmor

I oppose HSB242. No one should be denied the right to housing, jobs, or basic services because of their identity. Transgender people are people. They deserve dignity and the ability to live a life of happiness like anyone else. Its also not a good look that our country is in the middle of a true constitutional crisis which will almost inevitably end in civil war, and Iowa is spending its time pulling back basic rights from a harmless minority of its citizens. You know this isnt right. Do the right thing and vote no on this bill. And get to work on saving our country.

02-24-2025

Kjistine Peterson

I cannot believe we have to fight this. I am staunchly opposed to this bill. This will be harmful in ways too numerous to count. Let Despite the rhetoric around this bill, it will not make anyone safer. It will in fact remove safety from an already vulnerable population. Please vote no. The queer people of Iowa are begging you.

02-24-2025

Chas Fields

As an Iowa native and proud resident of Cedar Rapids, I implore you toOPPOSEHouse Study Bill 242. This bill not only endangers the LGBTQ+ community but also strips the community of their rights. It is yourdutyto Iowa constituents to uphold our state motto,"Our liberties we prize, and our rights we willmaintain,HSB 242 directly opposes this sentiment.Fulfill your duty and maintain the rights of your constituents by voting against HSB 242.

02-24-2025

Kate Matson

Please do not pass this bill. Taking away civil liberties does not help everyday Iowans, it only helps the rich hold us down. It's a slippery slope to start taking away protections from any one group. The fact that this bill was even introduced shows how important it is to keep these protections in place, because clearly there is a bias against noncisgender people. Iowa needs to do better and actually protect it's citizens. These culture war bills are a waste of taxpayers money.

02-24-2025

Marty Reichert

I am again asking you to vote against this hateful and bigoted bill, HSB 242. This bill does nothing to help Iowans, in fact it hurts all Iowans as it legalizes bigotry and discrimination. Please vote against this bill and focus on helping Iowans.

02-24-2025

Shay Lilienthal

I am highly opposed to this bill as it continues to deny a small portion of our state the FUNDAMENTAL right to being. Human rights are not a toy to be leveraged whenever you feel like it. Stop this bill and focus on what is REALLY problematic in our state.

02-24-2025

Shelley Skuster

I strongly oppose HSB 242. The Iowa Civil Rights Act exists to ensure equal protection for all individuals, and any attempt to weaken its scope undermines fundamental rights and freedoms. No Iowan should be denied legal protections against discrimination. This bill sends the wrong message about our values as a state and risks harming vulnerable communities. I urge lawmakers to reject HSB 242 and stand for fairness, dignity, and equal rights for all Iowans.

02-24-2025

Sara T

I vehemently oppose HSB 242. I have always been proud to be from Iowa, a state which has been on the frontline of freedom and equality. Now I am mortified to be from a state that has put forward so many hateful bills that are actively harming so many Iowans. Having lawful protection against bodily harm and discrimination does not give anyone more rights than anyone else. It simply ensures that everyone is treated as a human being in the face of so many hatefilled people who intend to do harm to their fellow humans. If anyone believes this gives "extra" rights to anyone is clearly very privileged and has no idea what it feels like to constantly be rejected for jobs or be in fear for their lives walking down the street because of how they look or who they love. No one deserves to live in constant fear. Passing this bill will run people out of this state in droves and will put Iowa at the top of the list of states that are the biggest embarrassments to this country. The whole world is watching. Please be on the right side of history as we have been many times in the past. This bill is about hate. Nothing less. Please save the lives of so many beloved Iowans. Please.

02-24-2025

Morgen Bermel

I am an Iowan, born and raised and I ask that you oppose this bill. For my generation and those to follow, we are asking you to oppose this bill. Trans rights are human rights. Let's not go backwards in Iowa. We were the first to pass gay marriage. This is not a first we want. Please listen to your constituents. VOTE NO!

02-24-2025

Lauren Pass

I urge you to reject this bill. Approving this bill sends an unambiguous message that the state of Iowa does not care about protecting Iowans civil rights and that anyones rights may be denied or taken away. That is not the message of a state anyone wants to live in. Trans and gender nonconforming people deserve the same rights as anyone else. It is not for the state to decide which citizens have fewer rights and protections than others. This is a monstrous bill that will harm many and benefit none.

02-24-2025

Alexandra Volker

Please reject this bill. I am a Christian and Jesus told us to care for our neighborsall of our neighbors. Transgender Iowans are our neighbors. We should not pass this bill which will allow discrimination based on gender identity. Our trans neighbors will then be at risk of losing jobs, homes, bank accounts, and financial stability. They will suffer. Trans Iowans contribute positively to our state and we should not pass laws to harm them. This violates both the civil ideals that Iowa has always prized as a state, and the Christian ideals that many of our lawmakers profess.

02-24-2025

William Mitchell

Reject HSB 242. This Bill will violate the civil rights of already marginalized Iowans. Any bill proposed by our state legislature that alienate Iowans should not even make it out of committee. These reckless definitions that go out of their way to exclude or erase individuals with genetic abnormalities and trans people. Please find some humanity.

02-24-2025

Kay Marcel

I urge a NOT vote on legislation that would remove gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights Act. Government should NOT be taking away civil rights from Iowans. This legislation would allow discrimination of Iowans and government should NOT be supporting discrimination or taking away civil rights. VOTE NO to discrimination.

02-24-2025

Lily Vajgrt [MIU]

Yet again I have to ask you to not pass this stupid bill. There are no times in history that taking rights away from a group of people has ever been viewed upon favorably. I am a tax paying Ireland citizen of 45 years, my entire life. And you want to let some religious zealots be able to freaking treat me differently because of who I am. That shows me that you are not doing your jobs and that you need removed from office immediately. You are not listening to any other public comments that are against this egregious government overreach. By passing this absolute horseshit bill, you were telling people like me and I'm almost 7,500 other Iowans that we don't factor into anything. By passing this bill you are affecting basically half a percent of the Iowa citizenry wasting our fucking time, and not even doing your proper job of protecting citizens from cancer, poisoned water, Farm runoff, death by guns, and actual rapists. The data shows that trans people are not the fucking overwhelming rapists you think we are. The data shows that people are far more likely to be raped by someone they know, and not in a public restroom. You are grasping at straws, you are being absolutely useless. I am sick and tired of religious bigotry ruining this fucking state.

02-24-2025

Molly Lawry

Vote NO on this bill. It promotes discrimination and hate towards a marginalized group that is already under attack. Moving forward with this bill not only harms our trans community, it also harms our state it makes it even more unappealing for young, educated workers to want to become part of Iowa (or stay in Iowa). Why strip away rights...unless cruelty is the point?

02-24-2025

Shalome Musignac Jordan

Vote No on HSB 242 removing civil rights from transgender people in Iowa. It is with pain and shame I am raising children in a state that is removing civil rights CIVIL RIGHTS away from people in our state. We must refuse this bill and support all Iowans. Vote NO on this harmful, shameful legislation.

02-24-2025

Sandra Baringer

If passed, this bill will be a black mark on Iowa history. Who have we become? Iowa ended racial segregation of schools in 1868. And now, Iowa will take away the civil rights of intersex and transgender people? Scientific estimates of intersex conditions at birth range from .018% to 1.7% of the population. These encompass hormonal, chromosomal, genital, and gonadal nonbinary characteristics. In assessing the status of these citizens and those who have had gender affirming medical intervention, what level of invasive investigations will be conducted? How far away are we from the practices of the Nazis in inspecting men for evidence of circumcision? Will there be strip searches as a condition for admission to public schools? This bill is driven by the paranoia of ignoramuses, and responsible Republicans need to start thinking through the consequences.

02-24-2025

Jess Barron

Im 31 years old. I grew up in this state. My child was born here. Shes 6. This bill is a danger to her, to me, and to my friends and loved ones. Politicizing gender identity doesnt just harm trans people. It penalizes any failure to conform to gender standards. It can cause tomboys to be called boys and banned from female spaces. It can cause trans men to be forced to use womens restrooms. It can cause medical care to be withheldhair fillers and Botox and breast implants are all examples of gender affirming care. Further, it pushed the ideology that women are soft and wear dresses and are feminine in presentation only. Laws like these hurt anyone who appears to cross gendered linescis women who appear more masculine. Effeminate men. Actual trans people. In the over 15 years since this law was passed, not one woman has been assaulted in Iowa in the restroom by a trans woman. I have been barred from restrooms as a masc presenting person, regardless of my sex at birth (female) or my female child being with me.

02-24-2025

Stefanie Stefanie

As a longtime resident of Iowa, I am writing to urge you to oppose any efforts to remove gender identity protections from the Civil Rights Act. Iowa stands for fairness, community, and dignity for all, as reflected in our state motto: Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain. Stripping these protections goes against these core values and puts at risk individuals simply seeking to live free from discrimination.Gender identity protections ensure that all Iowansregardless of how they identifycan access equal opportunities in employment, housing, healthcare, and public spaces. Removing these safeguards not only violates the rights of countless individuals but also harms our states economic wellbeing. The business community has made it clear that laws removing protections negatively impact employees, customers, competitiveness, and both local and state economies. The social, economic, and health consequences of stigma and discrimination against LGBTQ+ people further harm Iowas prosperity. Instead of limiting access and opportunity, we should focus on fostering a state that supports every resident in thriving.Iowa has long been a leader in advancing civil rights, and now is the time to continue that traditionnot reverse it. We must work toward greater inclusivity and fairness for all. I urge you to uphold the values that make Iowa strong and reject any attempts to weaken the rights of our neighbors, friends, and family members.Civil rights are the foundation of equality, justice, and freedom. We must remain united in ensuring these rights are protected, upheld, and accessible to all. Now, more than ever, its crucial to reaffirm our commitment to justice and the values that strengthen our society.Thank you for your attention to this critical issue. I trust you will stand for the principles of justice, equality, and respect that Iowans hold dear.Sincerely, Stefanie Munsterman

02-24-2025

Sara Shonrock

I strongly oppose HSB 242. Iowa should be welcoming and encouraging people to want to live in this state and grow and thrive. No one deserves to be targeted by this bill and denied their Civil Rights. This bill does not assist Iowa in growing and thriving.

02-24-2025

Justin Comer

It is shameful that HSB 242 passed subcommittee this morning. Erasing words from our civil rights act is such a transparently and obviously regressive idea. Steve Holt stated himself in his newsletter (https://mailchi.mp/be5f631b2c08/freedomwatchweek6genderidentity) that the reason he is proposing this is so that other legal efforts to discriminate against trans people will stop failing in court. You are seeking to do great harm to a minority population because you do not approve of the way they live their life. No amount of mental gymnastics will justify what you are doing; taking rights away from a group of people.

02-24-2025

Audrey Keith

Please vote NO on HB 242. I agree that discussion needs to be had in regards to regulating segregated spaces but this bill is not helping create space for that conversation to be had. I'd much rather see us change building code to require more singleuser and family restrooms and changing spaces so that everyone can feel safe and comfortable, including single dads with daughters.

02-24-2025

Kristian Maul

My name is Kristian Maul. I live in Urbandale, Iowa. I am a husband, father, and smallbusiness owner who happens to be a transgender man. I want the same thing as most Iowansthe freedom to flourish. I worry about the same things as most Iowanswill my business continue to grow, will our health insurance premiums go up again, how will we pay for our kids college tuition and expenses, whose family are we going to spend Christmas with, will the Hawkeyes (or Cyclones) win this week. If this bill passes, I and all other transgender Iowans will have a whole new set of worries every daywill I be fired from my job tomorrow, will my landlord evict me, will I be denied that small business loan, will my familys favorite restaurant refuse to serve me or sit us in a separate section, where will I use the restroom in public. Ive been using the mens restroom and locker room for 20 years. No one will feel that their privacy and safety are being protected with me in the womens facilitieswhich is what this bill will require me to do.Have the guts to own what this bill is really abouterasing transgender people from the state. Those of us who have the financial means and ability will move. Many of those of us who dont will be forced to live a lie in order to keep our jobs and a roof over our families heads. Tragically the physical and mental toll will be significant.If you don't personally know a transgender person, I encourage you to sit down and talk to someone who is transgender before voting on this bill. I would be happy to talk to you about the real experience of living as a transgender person in Iowanot the stories circulated by groups with no actual knowledge.If this bill passes and gender identity protections are removed for all Iowans, thousands of us will have no recourse for discrimination that limits our freedom to flourish. I urge you to do the right thing for Iowa and all Iowansvote no on the Iowa Civil Rights Removal Act HSB242.

02-24-2025

Sonyia Loos

Reject this bill!! As a born and raised in Iowa, we should be taking care of people in our state. Trans people are humans. Insteadwe treat them less.Working in healthcare, we treat everyone with care regardless of who they are. I dont know why the government cant. We need to focus on more important things like affordable healthcare, cost of living. instead Republicans are using taxpayer money to pass bills who DO NOT benefit Iowans. Government works for the PEOPLE.

02-24-2025

Nicole Terry

I strongly oppose HSB 242. Iowa should be welcoming and encouraging people to want to live in this state and grow and thrive. No one deserves to be targeted by this bill and denied their Civil Rights. Its disgusting and hateful and should NOT be passed. Trans Iowans should not have to live in fear.

02-24-2025

Mary Patton

Passing this bill directly contradicts our state motto. It publicly declares Iowa to be a state of hypocrits. Which is a very un Iowa Nice way to be. The state will only loose valuable citizens who bring innovations, and resources to the state. This bill opens the door for the state to take away the rights of anyone they wish, anyone they see as a threat to the mission of the current government. If this was truly about protecting children you would put science backed sexual education and consent education in our schools. You would double down on financing DHS and Welfare services. You would not have passed the voucher program if you really cared about children. You would increase the wage for public school teachers. If you truly cared about children and their futures you would make Iowa a place people want to live, work, and raise families. Approving this bill will only pave the way to cut off our state from our neighbors, and enrichment. This isn't about gender, nor sexuality nor child safety. This is about controlling the projected reality while you actively ignore those you serve. And in closing, if any one supporting this bill truly cared about what gender is you would educate yourselves on the history and science of gender vs sexuality and not let others make decisions for you.

02-24-2025

Karen vanOostenrijk

Please vote NO to this bill. This is an infringement on human rights. Voting Yes to this bill is stating loud and clear that you do not believe in human rights, and freedom is only granted to those that believe the way you do.

02-24-2025

Alexander Cory

I strongly oppose bill 242, as do a majority of Iowans. It is not only flagrantly unscientific, but it is also a naked and craven attempt to demonize transgender and nongender conforming individuals. Besides just ignoring the obvious scientific fact that a significant portion of human beings are born intersex, any restriction of gender identity is a restriction on our free speech and individual freedoms. This bill is an affront to human dignity and it must not come to pass or else it will be a dark stain on this state's history forever.

02-24-2025

David Pugh

Please vote no on this bill. The Iowa Legislature has no business taking away rights from people that the Iowa constitution currently protects. Focus on issues affecting the majority of people like property tax reform, funding public schools, and affordable housing. Quit wasting our time at the Statehouse!

02-24-2025

Andrea Geary

Im writing to implore you to vote down HSB 242. It is not too late turn away from this dark, bigoted path some would have Iowa charted toward. Time is too short and the bill too hateful and sloppy to detail all the very valid reasons to spare Iowans this most notorious and embarrassing fate a state that is willing to throw (some with great enthusiasm) our most discriminated against to the wayside. Please do not move forward with this hateful, discriminatory, bill.

02-24-2025

Tomeka Magnani

Vote NO on HSB242!This bill is nothing more than an attempt to marginalize Iowans who do not fit neatly into a binary structure. It sends a clear message of exclusion and discrimination, contradicting the values that Iowa stands for.Iowas motto is "Our rights we will maintain," but HSB242 does the oppositeit strips rights away from its own citizens. No government should have the power to dictate how people define themselves. Everyone deserves to feel welcome, respected, and protected under the law, no matter their identity.We cannot allow legislation that seeks to minimize minorities and push our fellow Iowans to the margins of society. This is not what our state is about. Stand up for equality, fairness, and human rightsVOTE NO on HSB242!

02-24-2025

Erin McCain

The erasure of trans people will not cease their existence. All this bill is doing is telling an entire subgroup of the population that they do not exist in the eyes of their government the people who are meant to represent and protect them. For the people who think that people choose to be trans on a whim, you have never experienced the hardship of trying to discover your own identity and recreating yourself despite knowing there will be many people you loved who will abandon you in the process. Attempting to discriminate in this way based on gender identity will only further the mental health crisis in our country, with higher rates of depression, suicide, and anxiety. These people deserve the right to the freedom of expression the same as every other American citizen. They are harming no one and simply wish for the right to live their lives in the body and identity they feel the closest to. If you don't like it, it's not about you. It is not your body. And it is not your choice. Trans people will and always have existed. Attempting to erase them will put you on the wrong side of history I implore you to look at the groups in the past who have attempted to radicalize hate against this community, and I suggest you try to make the better decision than our ancestors have. Choose to support the lives of all humanity, and check your biases and fears at the door when considering this bill's legitimacy in our state.

02-24-2025

Victoria Barnidge

I implore the Iowa legislature to vote down this discriminatory and unconscionable bill without delay.As a mother to two daughters, I can assure you they feel more threat from the white, cis men in their school hallways than they have ever felt from a transgender student. My daughters both swim for our high school swim team and have used the public locker rooms of our aquatic center without ever feeling any sort of discomfort or concern from any of their teammates whether they be cis gender women or transgender women. This bill is a bunch of bigoted nonsense from people who fear what they do not understand and then want to do everything in their power to inflict harm. This bill will surely lead to a life of extreme hardship, of further bullying and violence and increased struggles with mental health.Quite frankly it is irresponsible at best and down right cruel at the worst to even introduce a bill like this. Iowa has big issues to deal with and time and time again the Republican legislators seek out the most harmful legislation imaginable, such as this bill intended to remove civil rights from a protected class of Iowans. Its wrong and every single person sitting in the state house knows its wrong.My daughters wont stay in Iowa once theyve graduated because Iowa is not a welcoming place. Iowa is no longer a state of opportunity and growth. Iowa is no longer a place where freedom and civil rights are the norm but rather its the loud minority controlling the agenda of this state. I will not stand by while these Republican legislators attempt to strip away rights under the guise of protecting women and girls. That is such thinly veiled language of the bigoted. I urge you to understand what youre taking away from your neighbors, and heed the words of Jesus do unto others what you would have them do unto you.

02-24-2025

Rachel Simon

Please vote no on HSB 242. This bill is extremely harmful to Iowans who are just trying to live their lives in our state. Passing this legislation will only accelerate Iowa's brain drain and lead to negative economic impacts of people avoiding our state because of this harmful rhetoric. Focus on the real issues Iowans deal with every day and stop attacking trans Iowans through your legislation.

02-24-2025

Teresa Whitaker

I am asking you to vote NO to HSB242. Our state and communities should be welcoming to all. ALL people should be protected under the law. Im asking you to stop the attack on minorities in our state and VOTE NO to HSB242.

02-24-2025

Hayden Froehlich

Vote No on House Study Bill 242. This is a flagrantly marginalizing bill for the already vulnerable population of trans and nonbinary individuals in this state. Do not waste our tax dollars and your time on efforts that only stoke division. Trans rights are human rights.

02-24-2025

Katie Gardner

02-24-2025

Theresa Pagliai

Vote No! Transgender people are our friends and neighbors. This legislation removing protection under the law is wrongheaded, inhumane, and dangerous. Iowa legislators need to remember it is their job to protect ALL Iowans. Vote No!

02-24-2025

Molly Suter

Please reject this heinous bill. Not only is it dehumanizing to Iowa's already vulnerable demographic, the time this has already wasted could have been used to address real issues Iowans face, such as homelessness or mental health care. Trans rights are human rights!

02-24-2025

Katie Redington

Please Vote NO! All hardworking peopleincluding those who are transgendershould be treated fairly and equally and have the opportunity to earn a living and provide for themselves and their families. If someone cant rent a place or get a credit card, because they face discrimination based on who they are, we cant expect them to be able to compete on a level playing field with others. These basic antidiscrimination protections are an important part of any meritbased system, allowing people to access opportunities regardless of who they are. Further, the bill jeopardizes sex stereotyping protections for nontransgender women that arent included in Iowas sex discrimination statute. Transgender people are our friends, neighbors, family, and coworkers. I care about my cousin who is transgender, my coworker's wife who is transgender, and my mom's coworker who is nonbinary. Humans are complex individuals and each person should be allowed the freedom to be themselves. Seeing a person who is transgender may make some people uncomfortable, because things that are different from yourself or from your family that you are not familiar with, that you don't understand, can be uncomfortable. That doesn't mean they don't deserve freedom, protection, and prosperity. When it comes to being able to earn a living, having a place to live, or being served by a business or government office, they should be treated like anyone else and not be discriminated against. Please vote against HSB242. Thank you.

02-24-2025

Tara Abbott

I am writing to express my opposition to HSB242.I am a mother of 4 children and I live in Des Moines, Iowa with my husband and children. As a lifelong resident, I am very concerned about the direction of our state government.In the past, I always felt proud to call this state my home. Our strong hard working communities who helped lift one another up and always had a kind word (or a wave while passing on the highway) is being overtaken by emotionally reactive ignorance. Our state had a long history of making decisions based on logic, fairness, and careful consideration. This bill does not reflect Iowas values.This bill does much more than removal of the term gender identity from civil rights code. I oppose each and every aspect of this bill, as written it is far too broad to be considered for passage by any reasonable person regardless of their political affiliation.The unintended consequences of much of the language in this bill is deeply concerning to me. As written, the bill would create huge changes other areas of the civils rights code.It has been stated that this bill is intended to protect (cisgender) women. As a cisgender woman who has lived in this state for 46 years I attest that I experienced no negative or harmful effects to my safety or freedom since gender identity was added to our civil rights code in 2007. In fact, our care and consideration for our fellow citizens made me feel SAFER and proud of our state! A person who experiences discomfort with using the same facilities as a trans person is experiencing the effects of their own prejudice and ignorance, not a violation of their rights.All people, including those who are transgender, should be treated fairly and equally by the laws of our state.

02-24-2025

Kennedy LaVille Thoren

Vote NO. Iowas motto includes the words our rights we will maintain. Stripping Iowans of their civil rights is not maintaining their rights and will move us backwards.The comments in the subcommittee today in favor of the bill were simply just filled with falsehoods and lies. The supposed issues with bathrooms and sports, etc. can be dealt with separately. If we based every law on the poor or awful choices of a few, we would be stripping all populations of their basic rights. This bill would violate basic rights and impact individuals access to basic needs, such as housing.

02-24-2025

Myles Evangelista

I am, once again, staunchly and vehemently opposed to HSB 242. Have you lost your minds? Have worms infested your moralcompass for you to feel so strongly about passing legislation to demonize a population that comprises 1% of Iowas population at maximum? Rep Holt even said in his own words that his rationale for pushing this bill is to keep from other previously passed antitrans bills as unconstitutional. So pass this bill if you feel the need to cover your tracks so badly, but remember: trans people have always existed and will always exist in Iowa, especially by the hand of God. Vote NO to put your money where your mouth is and protect ALL Iowan citizens like you say you do.

02-24-2025

Amanda Halliday-Rizzo

Please reject HB 242. As anyone with a basic understanding of cultural anthropology can tell you, gender is a social construct as such, defining it as a binary is narrowminded and inaccurate, not to mention exclusionary. Twospirit individuals have been in North America prior to the presence of European colonial settlers; it is not a new concept. Regardless of how someone perceives their own gender identity, the most basic fact remains that it does not infringe upon anyone elses rights. The civil rights of our transgender and nonbinary neighbors must be protected. Our liberties we prize, and our rights we WILL maintain.

02-24-2025

Megan Kruse

Hello House Judiciary Committee members, I am asking you to please vote NO on legislation that would remove gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights Act. Every human being deserves the right to live as they choose. The hate and fear behind this legislation is the real issue rather than if my neighbors prefer dresses over pants. There is none of us qualified to judge however we are all qualified to show compassion and love.

02-24-2025

Loulwa Soweid

Please, please oppose HSB 242. Please use the power you have to protect trans and nonbinary Iowans from hate and discrimination, not to legalize it. Trans and nonbinary Iowans exist and will always exist and they already struggle with access to healthcare and housing and are at high risk of violence for simply existing as their authentic selves. Block this bill, reject this bill, throw it out. It will help NO ONE.

02-24-2025

Nate Petsche

HSB 242 is a dangerous precedent that seeks only to harm and not to help myself and my fellow queer persons. I strongly oppose this bill and all it stands for. If those in power truly stand for the tenants of the Bible they would lead with love and support instead of blatant bigotry and hatred.

02-24-2025

Valerie Alvarez

We live in a country that takes pride in delivering freedom, civil rights, and respect. Why is it, in 2025, we are voting to remove rights from American citizens? Why is the party of small government and personal liberty taking away said liberty? We must reject this bill, as Iowans. We were one of the first states to side with abolitionists against the horrid system of chattel slavery. Do not slip into the German 1930s conditions. I will not wear the pink triangle you so desperately want me to wear.

02-24-2025

Rita Brannan

Please vote no on this bill. Trans rights are human rights. Iowa has become an unwelcome state, so please do not add to it by discriminating against any group of individuals. Trans people are not pedophiles and that is a horrible thing for some to be saying. If you are any type of Christian or not, Jesus said love ALL PEOPLE. It makes me sick to see Iowa even considering such a bill. I do not understand where all this hate is coming from so please vote no on this bill. Everyone should be guaranteed these civil rights, EVERYONE!

02-24-2025

Cheryl Hoard

Please vote no on HSB242 why you would choose to do this to your own people is beyond pale. These people are our friends and neighbors. They harm no one. They are peaceful people. I'm sad that this is a priority for our state legislators. Let's do something productive with our time and not this!

02-24-2025

Kaily Hoard

I oppose HSB 242 and any other legislation that infringes upon civil rights. Trans rights are human rights! Do not remove something that has already been approved and supported by the constituents of this state and other Americans across the country. Do the right thing (a which frankly is your job), not the thing that brings you more money and power, we, the people, beg of you.

02-24-2025

Blake Stumpf

I am in opposition to this bill. I've lived most of my life in Iowa, including going to college to be an engineer at ISU. I want to keep living in this lovely state but because I'm transgender I can't. Bills like this are pushing me away from the state I love, for fear that if I don't my life will become much harder. With this bill it will become much harder to find a job or find housing, things that I need to live and prosper. This bill will also make it dangerous for me to use a public bathroom. If you're scared of people getting hurt in the bathroom I would go after politicians, who have assaulted more people in women's bathroom than transgender women by far. I want to build a life with my partner in Iowa and support it economically and socially. This bill tells me I need to leave Iowa instead. Please, I beg you, do not approve HSB 242.

02-24-2025

Stephanie Barrett

Writing to voice my OPPOSITION to this bill. Removing Civil Rights protections for Transgender individuals is unjust and discriminatory. This is no different than removing Civil Rights protections for another protected class. Iowans overwhelmingly support our Transgender neighbors, friends, colleagues. This piece of legislation is unncessarily hateful and bigoted. Vote NO on this bill. Trans Rights Are HUMAN Rights!

02-24-2025

Danielle Wheeler

Please vote no. Most Iowans want to live in peace with their neightbors. Historical precedent says that the people trying to remove civil rights are reviled. Your constituents will remember what you do to the most vulnerable Iowans. So will your children and grandchildren.

02-24-2025

Leslie Schwalm

Please reject this bill. Trans humans ask for nothing more than the same rights all Iowans have. No Iowan has been harmed by their trans neighbors, fellow congregants, children, students. If you approve this bill, Iowa will no longer be seen as a leader in civil rights; all that legislative history on the side of human equality goes down the drain as does the state's reputation. Please vote on the side of science and history and fact, not religious affiliation or culture wars

02-24-2025

Pamela Mohr

I OPPOSE HSB 242. If this bill is passed, it will impact almost everything an adult Iowan needs to function and thrive in our state including employment, housing, public accommodations, education, banking and insurance. You were elected to represent the people of Iowa to ensure we have an Iowa that works for ALL Iowans. Doing anything less is discrimination and not protecting Iowans' freedoms. Please do the right thing and oppose The Iowa Civil Rights Removal Act (HSB 242).

02-24-2025

Collin Kepner

Representatives of the House Judiciary Committee:As a lifelong resident, I hold Iowa and the people who live here close to my heart. I adding a public comment today because I am deeply concerned about HSB 242 a bill that would strip our fellow Iowans (specifically transgender Iowans) of their right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in the state of Iowa by removing gender identity as a protected class. This bill would give Iowa the dishonorable distinction of being the first state to remove a protected class from its civil rights act.For a bit of context: In 2007, Iowa passed a forwardthinking addendum to the Iowa Civil Rights Act that added discrimination protections for sexual orientation and gender identity in the areas of housing, employment, public accommodations, credit, and education. The passage of this addendum marked an addition to a long and storied history of Iowa leading the charge in civil rights, from having the first public university to admit men and women on an equal basis, to outlawing segregation in education 96 years before Brown v. Board of Education, to eventually leading the fight for marriage equality.Given this history, it is most worrisome that HSB242 is slated to receive mainstream Republican support this year. I chose to stay in Iowa upon graduation because I believe in its potential, but bills like this one make me deeply question that decision. Iowa Republicans should be focused on things like making housing affordable, fostering strong schools, improving healthcare access in rural areas, and protecting our waterways from pollution not stripping the good people of Iowa of rights they were granted nearly 20 years ago.Therefore, I strongly urge you to vote 'No' on this bill when it comes up for a vote in committee. This bill is a terrible look for Iowa, and it is clear that this isn't going to make a single person's life better in the state (while actively making some people's lives considerably worse). Look no further than our state motto "Our liberties we prize, and our rights we will maintain." History will remember the names of those who voted to not maintain those rights.Thank you for your consideration.

02-24-2025

Erin Rial

Well, out of the subcommittee at noon and ready for a full committee hearing to go ahead and discriminate against the class most recently added to protected classes of our Civil Rights Act by 1:30. Shame on you, not a second to waste on discussion, shut up when we remove rights from you or we'll arrest you to. Seriously, discriminating against protected classes has always been a sport in America or we wouldn't need Civil Rights legislation don't say don't worry, we know better. If you didn't want to discriminate on the basis of gender identity this law woudn't be in the crosshairs. To the business community standing back when you didn't the last couple of times this was tried, we see you. Don't come at me and tell me a law to stop discrimination of housing, employment, etc is to stop transathletes from competing in woman's sports, you already passed that law and no one is suing you. Quit lying, quit picking on the gay and trans communities and start representing all Iowans.

02-24-2025

K Olsen

I ask that you oppose this bill. All Iowans deserve protection. This bill harms some of the most vulnerable people in Iowa and is going to make our state a more dangerous place. I want a safer, brighter future for my children in Iowa, specifically a future that includes and supports the safety of queer and trans Iowans.

02-24-2025

Kathy Graeve

I am strongly opposed to HSB242. This bill is designed to make life harder for transgender Iowans. This bill removes basic protections for transgender Iowans and creates complications for other Iowans. All people should be treated fairly and equally by the laws of our state and should be able to work, rent or buy a home, and live life. The bill also jeopardizes sex stereotyping protections for nontransgender women that are not included in Iowa's sex discrimination statute.Transgender Iowans are our friends, coworkers, family, and neighbors. They deserve to make a living and be served by businesses or government office equally. Please listen to the Iowans who want our state to be a welcome place for all.

02-24-2025

Alyssa Rodriguez

Please oppose HSB242. As a lifelong Iowan and mental health clinician to trans youth and adults, I can attest to the drastic harm this would impose upon trans folks. Acknowledging their existence is lifesaving and anything less than that is the reason many talented and brilliant young folks are planning to flee our state. They are educators, health care workers, law enforcement officers and so on and they deserve equal recognition. It is laws like these that heighten the already disproportionate levels of threat they face And the majority of Americans oppose such laws, including a majority of Iowans. Thank you for opposing this hateful law.

02-24-2025

Sarah Stowe

Please vote no on HSB242. Besides the fact that it is the government job to protect and serve ALL Iowans (even those you don't like), the wording in this bill is strange and seems likely to be weaponized against women. Why are mother and father being separately defined? Do mothers and fathers not have the same exact legal rights? "Seperate accomodations are not inherently unequal"? Why does it feel like we're talking about segregating based on sex here? And fruthermore, why on God's green earth are we policing what people call themselves. Why should people not be allowed to choose their own name. Why should they not be allowed to call themselves whatever they like. Is that not the basis of freedom of speech. Is freedom of speech not the basis of America? Why the hell is the government allowed to tell good citizens what they can and cannot do to their bodies. Even if you disagree, true freedom means the freedom to make dumbass choices about your own life.Removing the civil rights of any citizens because you don't like their beliefs is a very, very dangerous precedent to be setting.

02-24-2025

Sara Siepker

I OPPOSE BILL 242, CIVIL RIGHTS REMOVAL ACT. Do not pass this bill. Do not consider any of the recommended aspects of this bill. This bill will be a scar on Iowa's history and the blood will be on the hands on everyone involved who accepted this as okay and justifiable.

02-24-2025

Noah Bultema

Vote no on this bill. It dehumanizes members of the popula5ion, impedes free speech and other rights of Americans. If this bill is passed it will set a dangerous precedent for the state's ability to strip rights from certian groups.

02-24-2025

Jeff Emerson

I do not support HSB242, and I will never support a representative who votes yes to advance or pass any version of this bill. The objective is clear: to strip core civil rights from a minority group that has been targeted out of hysterical fear, unhindered divisive hate, and refusal to accept that some people are born and live differently. It is absurd how this bill's supporters clearly lack the Christian love that many claim to follow. Stop this weirdness. Stop this insanity. Stop this hate. Do not advance this bill.

02-24-2025

Dana Thomas

Please reject this bill that would subject a marginalized group to fewer civil protections under law. Most good parents just want their children to be safe and happy. Transgender people just want a safe place as well. they are just people who want to live their authentic lives safely. Transgender people are far more at risk and at danger from the public at large than cis gendered people ever will be. Why is it so hard for Christians to be Christ like and love the neighbor even if they don't look and act like you. Is that really Christian? Transgender people do not want to harm others or "turn others trans" they just want to be. Please let them be. Every Iowan deserves their civil rights!

02-24-2025

Russell Braman

Please vote to protect the rights of trans Iowans. This bill limiting options will lead to even more suicide attempts than we are already seeing. We are all guaranteed equal protection under the law. Please vote No to make that real in our state.

02-24-2025

Sara Richmond

Please vote NO on HSB 242. This will tear the fabric of who we are as Iowans. People who care about one another, fiercely protect one another, and want the best for each other. There is no reason to pass this bill. It will only do harm to our communities.

02-24-2025

Emerson Cram

I am strongly opposed to this bill. The purpose of the civil rights act is to create an avenue of recourse in the face of discrimination. Removal of the grounds of legal protection is the undeniable consequence of this legislation, regardless of claims to real intent otherwise. Both the letter and the spirit of this law codify discrimination. The bill would remove equal protection under the law, which is anti constitutional. You open the door to wasting taxpayer dollars to defend this bigotry in court.You have said this reflects common sense and protects women. I have to disagree. At the federal level, weve actually witnessed these kinds of sex redefinition policies harm women, through the defunding of critical services like The Office on Violence Against Women. Women who are not stereotypically feminine have been harassed in bathrooms because of the climate of fear spread by these bills. What is common sense is the recognition of biological diversity, which far exceeds two categories of personhood. Now, in a time when we should be collectively addressing worker shortages and high costs of housing, this legislation sends a message that Iowa is unwelcoming and pushes workers away. This bill is a reflection of language brought to us by culture war made by elites in Manhattan who do not represent Iowans. Do we really want to be remembered as the people who took peoples rights away? That is the unequivocal outcome of this legislation. What happened to small government? Our liberties we prize, and our rights we will maintain.

02-24-2025

Cara Delaney

I vehemently oppose bill HSB 242. Transgender Iowans deserve to have the same rights and dignity of personhood as every other Iowan. By removing the language of 'gender identity,' this invites in discrimination and strips the transgender community of protection to their rights to fair housing, eduction, and employment. Vote NO to HSB 242.

02-24-2025

Nikki Laug

Please reject this bill. I read through the public comment section this morning and if you did too you will notice almost every single post asks you to reject this bill. Iowa should be a welcoming and inclusive place to all. We want to keep living in our home state, but dont want to live in a state that take rights away from our neighbors.

02-24-2025

Will Kapp

Reject this bill. Erasing civil rights for anyone is an evil proposition. The fact that you are fast tracking this bill to committee from subcommittee on the same day is disgusting. Let the huge amount of new public comment against this bill in the last hour tell you what you need to know Iowans do not want this! Do not do this!

02-24-2025

Sara Even

I vehemently HSB242. This bill rolls back civil rights for transgender Iowans and would put us first in the nation to begin actively removing rights from people. As a lifelong Iowan, I would much prefer we be first in the nation on initiatives that help our citizens, such as cleaning up our water and air to reduce cancer rates (second highest in the nation and rising), public education, and affordable housing rather than needlessly attacking a vulnerable population that makes up less than 0.5% of our population. Punching down isnt a good look on anyone.Our liberties we prize, and our rights we will maintain; unless you are transgender, unless you are not straight, unless you are not white, unless you are not Christian. Iowa is sprinting down this slippery slope with hateful and completely unnecessary legislation such as this. Live up to our state motto. Support and lift our population so we can all thrive. We can do better. Vote against HSB242.

02-24-2025

stella armstrong

I strongly oppose HSB 242. Seeing as we are no longer veiling our words; any lawmaker that supports this bill is a waste of the salary that the people of Iowa pays them and they should be removed from office immediately. The statehouse is not a pulpit to preach vitriol and violence against historically marginalized peoples. In the words of the late, great David Lynch, Change your hearts, or die.We need to focus on real issues that Iowans have like the economy (stagnant wages, rising cost of living) and our quality of life (secondfastest fastest growing rate of new cancers in the US). Young adults do not want to stay here; theyre leaving the state in record numbers. This problem has been getting worse as this decade has continued. Unless we make some serious changes to entice people to Iowa as a place to not only live, but thrive, well continue to lose them. As a 20something myself, I currently plan to leave the state by the end of the year. Theres no future here for us as it stands.

02-24-2025

Jordanne Beach

This is one of the most abhorrent and pointlessly cruel bills I have ever seen at the Capitol. Once again, the Iowa GOP is attempting to distort science to fit their narrow beliefs to endanger and marginalize Iowans. Legislators have a duty to all their constituents, not just the ones who share their personal beliefs and opinions. I vehemently oppose this bill and urge legislators with even an iota of conscience to vote 'No' to this bill, and all others like it.

02-24-2025

Paul Gilbert

This is a shameful step backwards for the legislature to consider. It is reprehensible to strip civil rights from a class of people. Transgender people have always existed, and as a stigmatized minority they warrant recognition and protection from discrimination. Do NOT advance this bill.

02-24-2025

Dustin Martin

Please reject this bill. The idea that protecting certain classes merely by bringing notice to potential bias gives them MORE rights than others is laughable. We all have a gender identity. And a race or sex. How we choose to express that gender is based on culture. This of course is on a spectrum. We SHOULD rethink our bathing, bathroom, and changing options everywhere. Rethink. Not reject people whole cloth. If we can erase this class of people, we can erase them all.

02-24-2025

Amanda Johnson

Please reject HSB242. This bills narrow definitions completely disregard the fact that intersex people are part of the natural diversity of the human species. It also disregards that biological sex is dependent on more than just external genitalia. Every single human should be treated fairly and equally by the laws of our state. We cannot open the door to discrimination of any group of people. Discrimination harms all of us by weakening our communities. Further, this bill jeopardizes sex stereotyping protections for nontransgender women that arent included in Iowas sex discrimination statute. Also, did you know that there is a significant overlap between autism and gender nonconformity? Between 1125% of gender nonconforming people are also autistic. Did you know that gender nonconformity is associated with a 4x higher risk of suicide, which is proven to be mitigated by acceptance? A vote for this bill is a vote for discrimination against autistic people and a vote for higher youth suicide rates in our communities.Please vote against HSB242!

02-24-2025

Sharon Martinez

I strongly OPPOSE this bill. Civil rights are human rights. Every Iowan deserves to live in peace and freedom. All Iowans should be treated fairly and equally by the laws of this state. Please vote NO to allowing discrimination in Iowa. Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain.

02-24-2025

Catherine Larson

Vote no on HS 242 Listen to your constituents! If you look through these comments you can see that the people who want this to pass are such a tiny minority of our state. Listen to the people! We do not want this! Kim Reynolds says she is concerned about why everyone is leaving this state and THIS IS WHY! These new anti trans bills are cruel and they are pushing entire families to leave this state. Be compassionate to the people ho live here, or else no one will want to.

02-24-2025

Taylor Elbert

I implore you to please vote NO to this bill. This sets our state up for expensive lawsuits and will make it even easier to remove the rest of the peoples right in this state including age, race, gender, etc. we are all called to love our neighbor and it is not our place to judge. Please look into your hearts and find empathy for the few in this state who may not feel comfortable in their own bodies. VOTE NO!

02-24-2025

Molly Dahlberg

Please shut this bill down. It serves no purpose other than to frighten and harm transgender, intersex, and nonbinary Iowans. I am a cisgender woman, and none of this makes me feel safer as some representatives have said. I do not feel safer when my friends and neighbors are not safe.

02-24-2025

Sheryl Davis

Please protect everyone. Everyone deserves to live their life by themselves, no definition from a law, not by heartbreaking comments made by ignorant people. What law will do is harm families, friends, those that love and have a heart.

02-24-2025

Harrison Laug

I ask you to reject HSB242 as it strips protections from my fellow Iowans. We should be a state that young people want to stay in, or come back to. This bill tells people they are not welcome here. As a 17 year old I am unable to vote at this time, but I can make decisions about where I will want to live, go to college, and eventually I will be able to vote. Please read through all of the comments from Iowans all over the state who are asking you to reject this bill.

02-24-2025

Erika Uthe

As a pastor and person of faith, I ask that you reject HSB242. All people are beloved children of God, regardless of race, religion, class, and gender identity. Leaving 'gender identity' as a protected class only serves to ensure that trans Iowans maintain the same rights as other Iowans, affirming their civil liberties for housing, credit, education, and simply living with the knowledge that it is illegal to discriminate against them.

02-24-2025

Trevor Jackson

Changing the law so your previous unconstitutional laws wont be illegal anymore is no way to legislate. Do not pass this bill. Find a new group to help instead of continuing to target this already oppressed sliver of society. Make lives easier, not more painful.

02-24-2025

Toni Kreitzer

REJECT this Bill. This is a disgusting and abhorrent to attempt to take away the rights of an already marginalized group of people within our state. These people are our citizens. Our family. Our friends. Our neighbors. The legislators in this state should be ashamed of themselves for even submitting such a thing.

02-24-2025

Jane Freeman

Please reject bill 242. This bill is another attempt to impose hateful beliefs and ignorance on the people of Iowa by making one population of the state more vulnerable than ever. People used to tell me how Iowa was one of the first states to legalize gay marriage and it's a state that prizes freedoms, but it sure doesn't seem like it. There is a human price to all of this hatred and sadly it will be suicides. The economic price of this is that larger companies will not want to do business here, becasue if trans Iowans are not safe here then neither are LGBTQ+ Iowans, women, minorities, or any marginalized population. As a taxpaying Iowan, I feel less safe here because of all of this and am sersiously considering leaving and taking my tax money with me. There are other lower cost of living options in the midwest that would be happy to take my tax revenue. I suspect there will be many residents who feel similar and I would encourage you to consider the economic future of your state.

02-24-2025

Madi Brauer

Please vote no on HSB 242. I am one of the many trans/nonbinary people in Iowa that would be deeply hurt by this bill. The daily experience of identifying outside the gender identities of man or woman is challenging. We are constantly wondering if we will be physically or emotionally safe in any space. Feeling accepted is a HUGE factor in experiencing gender affirmation. If gender identity is removed as a protected class, that tells the people of Iowa that we don't care about or see transgender and nonbinary individuals. Passing this bill will not make the trans community go away. In case you forgot, transgender people have ALWAYS been around. We aren't this new concept that just popped up on your facebook page one day. If you look into scholarly findings and even watch that video of Bill Nye explaining gender and sexuality, it is scientifically clear that gender identity exists. Everyone has a gender identity. Yes, even Kim Reynolds has a gender she identifies with. According to research from safehome.org,"Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Delaware all received A+ grades for LGBTQ+ safety based on their comprehensive proequality laws and low rates of hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people." There's a significant trickledown effect to the policies that run our state and federal governments. I would consider the proposed bill antiequality because of the way it completely dismisses the existence of gender identity minorities. Being dismissed as a human being is lifethreatening. According to the Trevor Project 2023 U.S. National Survey on LGBTQ+ young people, "Nearly 1 in 3 LGBTQ young people said their mental health was poor most of the time or always due to antiLGBTQ policies and legislation...Nearly 2 in 3 LGBTQ young people said that hearing about potential state or local laws banning people from discussing LGBTQ people at school made their mental health a lot worse. 56% of LGBTQ young people who wanted mental health care in the past year were not able to get it...41% of LGBTQ young people seriously considered attempting suicide in the past yearand young people who are transgender, nonbinary, and/or people of color reported higher rates than their peers..." If these statistics can't convince you to vote no on this bill, you must have your eyes closed. I am a person. Trans people are people. We are long overdue for some basic human rights and respect.

02-24-2025

Luke Bonner

Reject HSB 242. That you as legislators would want to become part of the decision of the first state to ever roll back and remove civil rights from a group of people is horrible. I hope you vote against this bill, otherwise you will be on the wrong side of history.

02-24-2025

Kirsten Ittner

I am completely appalled at what is currently happening to our trans brothers and sisters. As a third generation Iowan, I cannot believe that we have reached such levels of hate and intolerance in our state to even consider a bill like this. As a practicing Catholic, I am deeply saddened by the lack of empathy and compassion we have for our neighbors, friends, caregivers, and children. Republicans continue to claim they want a small and limited government, yet they are the ones spearheading harmful, dangerous, and destructive laws that remove the freedoms we value in American society: Freedom of self expression, of speech, to pursue happiness. When will the oppression end? Who will be next on the chopping block? I pray for the trans community that they will be granted to strength and resilience to overcome such harrowing circumstances. I pray that those who support this bill will see the error in their ways and seek forgiveness. Let us stand up against hate, vote no on this bill!

02-24-2025

Akaisha Buzynski

I strongly urge you to vote no on HSB 242. This bill is causing unnecessary harm to so many individuals, including loved ones, peers, and people I deeply admire. It directly impacts their rights in a way that creates pain and fosters distrust. There is no justification for stripping away these rights. Once again, I respectfully ask you to vote no on HSB 242.

02-24-2025

Jill Prall

Please REJECT HSB 242. Legal recognition and protection under the Iowa Civil Rights Act is essential for ALL Approving this bill is approving discrimination and Iowa will be taking a huge step back. Please notice the hatred behind this bill and choose to REJECT it!

02-24-2025

Charmayne McMurray

Transgender people are human beings and deserve human rights, rights all Iowans should have. This bill is nothing more than hate and a power move. Don't you have a conscience? They are our friends, neighbors and coworkers. They are professionals and hard workers. More than transgender citizens will leave Iowa, but this will cause many more Iowans to leave because of its unequal rights for the most vuneral people. Whats your next hateful power move will you use to treat more Iowans as less than humanwomen's rights or anyone who disagrees with you? Your job is to vote for the majority of your constituents. Transgender citizens are barely a fraction of your constituents. If you plan on holding your hateful, power grabbing job, you better start voting for the rights of all Iowans. I am so ashamed of you. You don't set a good example fir our youth.

02-24-2025

Sean McConnell

I am voicing my opposition to this bill. The state motto is Our liberties we prize, and our rights we will maintain. The stripping of rights from anyone is wrong and evil. The transgender population is about 1 percent and yet the elected officials of this state keep trying to legislate discrimination and bigotry into the law. Some have said that removing gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights Act will not take any rights away, but that is false. If no rights would be taken away then why is it being pushed so hard. It is because there have been laws passed by the state that are in direct conflict with the inclusion of gender identity in the Civil rights act. Thus seems like a case of we knowingly passed laws that will not stand up against a legal challenge because it would discriminate against a protected class. This is hypocritical and disgusting. The attempt to legalize discrimination of transgender peoplein health care and other areas of every day life is absolutely wrong. I urge a no vote because once we start taking rights away from one group where does it stop.

02-24-2025

Lauren Magnani

Please register my deep opposition to HSB 242! As a taxpayer, homeowner, spouse and mother, I ask you to also oppose and vote down this bill. The Iowa state motto is "Our liberties we prize, and our rights we will maintain." But HSB 242 seek to do the opposite,stripping rights away from its own citizens. It is a waste of taxpayer dollars. And it fosters a space for hate to grow in our state. It is not the place of government to to change the language by which people define themselves. It is not the place of government to take rights or protections away from a swathe of the population. This bill is a thinly veiled attempt to marginalize Iowans that do not fit a narrow binary structure. I personally know people that have decided to move away from Iowa, to other states that do not waste time and energy on bills that encourage discrimination. How is that relevant? HSB 242 is a prime example of proposed legislation that will exclude, discriminate against our neighbors, contradict the notion of goodwill toward others. Iowans should not be made to live in fear of their neighbors or their own government! If we want people to actually choose to live in this state, we should be focusing on actions and Bill's that actually HELP PEOPLE, not HURT them! All Iowans deserve to be protected under the law, regardless of their identity. Please, BE BRAVE! Do not allow legislation that further marginalizes minorities and our fellow citizens. I do not want my daughter growing up in a state that rejects basic human rights and decency toward our fellow human beings. I again ask you to OPPOSE and VOTE NO on HSB 242! With respect, from this concerned constituent.

02-24-2025

Matthew Hebda

These propositions are a waste of time and public funding at best, and malicious and predatory at worst. How do you plan to enforce what you think someone's "appropriate gender" is? Do you not see the parallels between other forms of discrimination and what you're proposing now? Stripping basic human rights away is NEVER the right decision. I strongly urge everybody with a modicum of decency and common sense to stand up against and protest against these measures which would do nothing but attempt to further divide a people who have already worked to achieve so much in the name of progress.

02-24-2025

Steph Pearson

People are people. I understand the comment regarding the swimming pool changing, so let's have some individual, closed changing stations. Trans is not a "cross dresser". Trans are people. Many times you don't even know someone is trans unless they tell you. They look like an every day person, going about their own business. Everyone deserves civil rights! Do not discriminate one, very small population, who, statistically aren't out hurting others. Thank you

02-24-2025

Katie Benedix

Please reject this bill HSB242. Gender is not the same as sexuality and is, indeed, a part of our total identityhow we interact with the world and how we want the world to recognize us. Do not add discrimination back into our laws.