Meeting Public Comments

Anna Malone []

The save womens sports act is completely unjust and should not be put in place. Trans women are women!!

Matthew Coomber []

Dear Iowa Legislature:As an Episcopal priest, a Christian, and as the father of a juniorhigh aged child, I vehemently oppose the "Save Women's Sports Act," which unfairly targets trans and nontrans Iowan girls through both ostracization and humiliating and invasive testing. Transwomen have been participating in sports for decades, if not longer, and with no ill affects on our sporting institutions. As far back as the 1970s there have been claims that transwomen in sports would end women's athletics, yet no such end has come.As a Christian I am called to respect the dignity of all God's children and, regardless of one's theological views on LGBTQ* issues, to put this undue burden on a population that is already more prone to suicide because of feeling ostracized is cruel and demeaningwhether or not that is the intent. My son is not trans, but the thought of him being discriminated against like this, if he were, is a painful one indeed. With so many pressing matters facing our state, I am greatly disappointed that Iowa is spending its time on this nonissue that will only serve to cause pain. We, as Iowans, are better than that. I stand with the Iowa High School Athletics Association and the Iowa High School Girls Athletics Union in opposing Amendment 1159. Please, for the sake of our young trans Iowans, I ask you to do the same.Sincerely,The Rev. Dr. Matthew J.M. Coomber

Carol McCoy [St. Ambrose University]

Amendment 1159, attached to House File 808, is offensive even to someone who is a conservative Christian such as myself. Requiring physical verification of sex before an athletic competition is offensive, plain and simple. Although I do not believe that homosexuality is moral or that people should oppose the way God has created them, I am shocked that the Iowa legislature would even entertain such a notion. This amendment unfairly targets certain populations, particularly trans girls, transwomen, and people of color.Please do not vote for this amendment.

Dale Broder [St Ambrose University]

This educational funding bill has language that is antitrans. It specifically targets transwomen in sports, even requiring sports programs to verify the sex of athletes by inspecting their genitalia. This is a gross invasion of privacy and is frankly sickening! This is sexual assault. A large portion of humans (some estimates as high as 2%) are born intersexed, meaning they do not have male or female genitalia. Are these millions of people not allowed to participate in sports? Moreover, the argument that transwomen have an unfair advantage is simply false. I am a biology professor, and one thing we teach in all of our classes is that variation is everywhere. If a 5ft tall man and a 6ft tall man play on the same basketball team, they will have different strengths. Perhaps only one will be able to dunk but the other may be faster or more agile. Would we call this unfair and demand to inspect both players genitalia? No! This is natural variation. This is normal. Further, studies have shown that any differences in strength that transwomen may have disappear within 5 years of hormone therapy. Regardless of the abilities of transathletes, variation is a fact of life. It is normal. Sex verification is not normalit is unethical should be considered sexual assaultsexual assault is illegal.

Brett Billman []

As an Iowan, I do not support amendment 1159 that was tacked onto HB808 (the socalled "Save Women's Sport Act). Currently, there is not sufficient research to support any charges of unfair advantages by transgender adolescents. Further, this amendment, through invasive examinations, and discriminatory rhetoric will do irreparable harm to all children cisgender and transgender. Amendment 1159 is an attempt by conservative extremists to add legal discrimination to the law. Our elected officials are oathbound to serve and protect all Iowans. This amendment runs contrary to that oath. BNB

rebecca romatoski []

Amendment 1159 tacked onto House File 808 is unacceptable. Both the Iowa High School Athletics Association and the Iowa High School Girls Athletics Union oppose this type of legislation. These athletes aren't professionals or Olympians. As someone who plays ice hockey as a women amongst almost all men in the state of Iowa, I know first hand the advantages those who's sex is male have as they are usually taller, stronger, faster, etc. but I still think this amendment is unwarranted. Because of my experience playing as usually the lone woman, I wondered how would it be fair for a trans person who identified as female but who's body was of the male sex to play on a women's team and how would one know if they were doing that because they were really trans. Fortunately, I asked, without being offensive, an expert. It comes down to their testosterone levels; HOWEVER, there are women with high testosterone levels and men with low testosterone levels outside the normal levels so one still needs to be careful and not use this as a determining factor! Have you considered all aspects of what this bill could do. Maybe on the face of it is seems like no big deal, but it is a big deal to be called out! Please do your research on this before you vote and vote against. See also Scientific American article called Trans Girls Belong on Girls Sports Teams which says "There is no epidemic of transgender girls dominating female sports. Attempts to force transgender girls to play on the boys teams are unconscionable attacks on already marginalized transgender children, and they dont address a real problem. Theyre unscientific, and they would cause serious mental health damage to both cisgender and transgender youth."Anyone who would be targeted by this amendment is already targeted in so many other ways that the barriers they need to overcome just to participate would be deterrent enough for those people who might consider joining the wrong sex of a sports team. So how many people are you worried are immorally "switching" genders? It cannot be many and probably more likely none at all. How many people will be targeted and questioned wrongly and have their lives turned upside down for nothing. Is it worth doing that to so many undeserving people, degrading and disrespecting them, just to find one or two rotten apples?