An Iowa law rolling back trans civil rights protections in the state has taken effect. Here's what to know
The new rollback of protections is the latest attack on trans people in the US and part of a broader movement across conservative-led states working to restrict LGBTQ rights.
GOP Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the Republican-backed measure earlier this year, saying it 'safeguards the rights of women and girls.' But advocates worry about what they call the dangerous, far-reaching consequences for the trans community in the absence of state legal protections.
'It's really a dark moment in our history,' said Democratic Rep. Aime Wichtendahl, Iowa's first openly transgender lawmaker. 'Our government in the state of Iowa has been reducing rights across the board this past decade.'
The new law marks the end to an 18-year legacy of civil rights protection for trans people in Iowa – a stark departure from the state's history of inclusive gender policies.
'The fundamental fact is, we were freer 10 years ago than we are today,' Wichtendahl said.
While there are still federal and other anti-discrimination protections in place, President Donald Trump and conservative allies continue to take steps to chip away at trans rights since he returned to office.
A state's civil rights code safeguards people from discrimination, often based on characteristics like religion, race and, in many cases, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity.
Gender identity is no longer on the list of protected classes in Iowa.
Iowa's new law also attempts to redefine gender as a synonym for biological sex, a shift that disregards contemporary medical and psychological understandings of gender identity.
Under the law, transgender people are barred from correcting their gender marker on birth certificates, so their identifying documentation will show the sex they were assigned at birth.
Transgender and nonbinary people in Iowa now face increased legal uncertainty, experts say.
'This isn't some nebulous law that won't really impact people,' said Max Mowitz, the executive director of LGBTQ advocacy group One Iowa.
Without state civil rights protections, individuals who are fired, denied housing or refused medical treatment based on their gender identity have a narrower path to legal recourse.
'Folks would be able to discriminate against us if (we) were trying to get a hotel room, or go to a coffee shop, or even open a line of credit,' he said.
Having identifying documents with gender markers that don't appear to match how a person is presenting themself could foster an uncomfortable, sometimes dangerous, situation for people who are forced to out themselves as trans to strangers.
As a trans Iowan, Mowitz said he's been patted down by TSA because 'something was on my driver's license that didn't look the way that they thought it should.'
Naomi Goldberg, executive director of the Movement Advancement Project, a nonprofit think tank providing resources to the LGBTQ community, said trans and nonbinary people will have a hard time going about daily life because of the new law.
It will also increase the already high risk of harassment and violence for trans Americans, Goldberg added.
More than a dozen states, mostly conservative, have never added gender identity as a protected class to their civil rights laws, according to data from the Movement Advancement Project.
Meanwhile, 31 states prohibit some form of discrimination against people based on their gender identity. And bills in those states have not moved to strike gender identity from their civil rights statutes, Goldberg said.
But protections for LGBTQ people vary greatly by state.
In Texas, the American Civil Liberties Union is currently tracking 88 bills it says are anti-LGBTQ that have been introduced during the 2025 legislative session — more than any other state. By contrast, the ACLU is tracking zero in Vermont.
At the federal level, new legislation and lawsuits targeting trans people have increased across the US.
The Supreme Court could agree this week to hear arguments in the backlog of cases dealing with trans issues — putting transgender rights front and center for a second year in a row.
The high court handed conservative states a win this Pride Month when it upheld Tennessee's ban on some medical treatments for transgender minors.
Trump, who campaigned on ending 'transgender lunacy,' has taken steps to dismantle the Biden administration's efforts to be more inclusive of Americans' gender identification.
He has signed a flurry of executive orders targeting trans people — including declaring there are only two genders, banning transgender women from participating in most women's sports, and barring transgender service members from serving in the military.
Trump earlier this year pushed Iowa to follow his lead from the orders and pass the bill to 'remove Radical Gender Ideology from their Laws.'
But trans people just want politicians to allow them to live freely, said Wichtendahl, the Iowa lawmaker.
'The ability to live our lives and be treated equally under the law and rights and dignity, to not have the government be this pernicious voice dictating who we are every step of the way,' Wichtendahl said, 'that's all we've ever asked for.'
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The Hill
20 minutes ago
- The Hill
President Ocasio-Cortez isn't as far of a reach as it once was
In a move that surprised many on both sides of the political aisle, progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) recently voted — with an overwhelming majority of House Democrats and Republicans — to support funding for Israel's Iron Dome defense system. To be sure, Ocasio-Cortez's vote made little difference to the final tally. The amendment, sponsored by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), which could have cut U.S. support, was shot down 422-6. Nevertheless, voting to support continued funding was extremely revealing for what it says about Ocasio-Cortez's grander ambitions. Indeed, not only did her vote mark a clear break with other members of the progressive 'Squad,' who made up five of the six objections. More importantly, it positioned Ocasio-Cortez closer to the Democratic mainstream at a time when her name has been brought up as a candidate for the Senate, and potentially even President. Further, this vote positions the congresswoman well vis-à-vis Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who trails Ocasio-Cortez by 19-points (55 percent to 36 percent) in a poll reported by Politico. This is not the first time Ocasio-Cortez has broken from the progressive wing in order to strengthen her candidacy for higher office, although it is the most serious. In 2021, in the wake of another war between Israel and Gaza, Ocasio-Cortez publicly lobbied against Iron Dome funding only to reverse course and vote 'present.' At the time, MSNBC called her actions a bid to 'preserve the possibility of challenging Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.' Much like that vote, Ocasio-Cortez has maintained her image as a critic of Israel, but one who recognizes its right to exist and to self-defense, albeit her recent statements make it clear that she has an extremely narrow definition of 'self-defense.' This position, much closer to the wider Democratic Party and national electorate, is also in stark contrast with other progressive rising stars, such as Zohran Mamdani. Mamdani, the front-runner to be New York City's next Mayor has said Israel should not exist as a Jewish State, expressed support for the anti-Israel Boycott, Divest, Sanctions movement, and who has taken a decisively one-sided view to Hamas's Oct. 7 attacks as well as the ensuring war. And yet, given the vastly different circumstances between the 2021 vote and present day, Ocasio-Cortez's July 18 vote carries considerably more weight. For months, even as many have doubted Ocasio-Cortez's viability for statewide or national office, she has travelled the country, drawing thousands to her rallies. Even in red states and districts, voters are coming out to see her. At one rally in Plattsburgh, N.Y., a district represented by Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Ocasio-Cortez reportedly drew a full 10 percent of the entire town. In that same vein, she has shown herself to be unmatched at fundraising ability. According to a Wall Street Journal analysis, Ocasio-Cortez has raised $15.4 million this year, nearly twice as much as House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and 23 times more than Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), the longest serving woman in the House. Moreover, virtually all (99 percent) of Ocasio-Cortez's contributions have come from individuals — her average donation in the second quarter was just $17 — rather than big-spending political action committees. Tellingly, almost three-quarters (72 percent) of her contributions have come from out of state, with a significant share also being spent on advertising in states other than New York. In fact, at this point — three years out from the 2028 elections — Ocasio-Cortez is seemingly more popular, marketable and noteworthy than former President Barack Obama was three years before the 2008 election. Obama, it will be remembered, was not even included in polls during the summer of 2005. His first appearance in a national poll came that December but was still considered such a longshot that his next appearance did not come until October of 2006. Conversely, the Race to the White House polling aggregator shows Ocasio-Cortez (12 percent) in fourth place, and she's consistently a top five finisher in individual polls. Polymarket even shows her having the second-best odds, 17 percent, behind only Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) at 21 percent. Additionally, in Democratic primaries, the left-wing of the party tends to dominate, giving her a considerable boost, particularly given the enthusiasm she tends to generate among this group. Taken together, it increasingly appears that Ocasio-Cortez's growing national appeal supports her growing political ambitions. However, as I've stated elsewhere, there are legitimate reasons to doubt whether her viability for higher office corresponds with her aspirations. Aside from her age, she will turn 39 three weeks before the 2028 election, and inexperience, Ocasio-Cortez's political leanings could alienate a sufficient number of swing voters. The 2024 election indicated that Americans, including a significant number of Democrats, do not want a far-left Democratic Party, and Ocasio-Cortez has historically been squarely on that side. Likewise, even if she is taking steps to quietly move to the center on some issues, she may be underestimating the potential damage it may do among her own base of support. Just days after the vote on the amendment, a far-left group defaced Ocasio-Cortez's Bronx office, painting 'Ocasio-Cortez funds genocide' in red paint. Her campaign advisor has also said that they've received death threats due to her vote. Without downplaying the seriousness and inexcusability of political violence, it is doubtful that the far-left would stay away if Ocasio-Cortez began to be considered a legitimate frontrunner in the next three years. Furthermore, were she to become the party's nominee for either the Senate or the presidency, there is likely a 'built in' vote among Democratic voters who would support the party, regardless of the candidate. That's especially true given that she addresses critical needs for Democrats — their lack of fresh ideas, new faces and overall lack of energy. Of course, this is certainly not to suggest that she will be the nominee. She may very well decide that making a run at the Senate first makes more sense. Her appeal may also begin to fade between now and 2028. Ultimately, the prospect of Ocasio-Cortez becoming Democrats' 2028 presidential nominee is not out of the realm of reason, and even looks considerably more plausible than it did just one year ago. Douglas E. Schoen is a political consultant who served as an adviser to President Clinton and to the 2020 presidential campaign of Michael Bloomberg. He is the author of 'The End of Democracy? Russia and China on the Rise and America in Retreat.'


San Francisco Chronicle
20 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Former Democratic North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper will run for Senate in 2026
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper will run for the U.S. Senate in North Carolina, giving Democrats a proven statewide winner in an open-seat race that is expected to be one of the most competitive 2026 contests. Cooper made the announcement Monday with a video released on social media and his campaign website. The former two-term governor will immediately become the front-runner for the Democratic nomination in the race to succeed retiring Republican Sen. Thom Tillis. Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley plans to run for the GOP nomination, with President Donald Trump's blessing, according to two people familiar with his thinking who were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly before an official announcement. Whatley, the former North Carolina GOP chairman, received Trump's endorsement after the president's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, passed on the seat. Cooper's candidacy is a big recruiting win for Democrats, who see the open seat as a top pick-up opportunity in what will be a challenging year. To retake the majority in 2026, Democrats need to net four seats, and most of the contests are in states that Trump easily won last year. Trump won North Carolina by about 3 percentage points, one of his closest margins of victory. Trump endorsed Whatley on his Truth Social platform Thursday night, posting that should he run, 'Mike would make an unbelievable Senator from North Carolina.' Ex-U.S. Rep. Wiley Nickel already has been campaigning for the Democratic nomination for months. Party primaries would be March 3. Cooper, 68, has been on statewide ballots going back a quarter-century — serving 16 years previously as attorney general before being first elected governor in 2016. With a political career going back nearly 40 years, Cooper has had a knack for winning in a state where the legislature and appeals courts are now dominated by Republicans. State law barred Cooper from seeking a third consecutive gubernatorial term. He spent the spring on a teaching gig at Harvard. State and national Democrats were longing for Cooper to join the race well before Tillis announced June 29 that he would not seek a third term. That news came after Trump threatened to back a primary candidate against him as Tillis opposed Medicaid reductions in the president's tax break and spending cut package, Democrats haven't won a Senate race since 2008 in North Carolina, where independent voters tend to vote Republican in federal elections. Statewide races can be financially exorbitant because there are so many television markets — hundreds of millions of dollars are expected to be spent in the race. Cooper's recent political history has painted him as a fighter against what he's considered extreme Republican policies, while at times finding consensus with GOP rivals. When asked by The Associated Press last December about a Senate bid, Cooper replied: 'If you're going to run for public office again, you must have your heart and soul in it, you must have the fire in the belly." As governor he steered the state through the coronavirus pandemic, Hurricanes Helene and Florence and a law that became an early flashpoint in the culture wars over access to public restrooms by transgender people. That 'bathroom bill' was rolled back early in Cooper's first term, and the state's economy soared during Cooper's tenure, marked by big jobs announcements and low unemployment. While Cooper also managed to get Medicaid expansion approved and a landmark greenhouse gases law enacted, he fell short in stopping legislation that widely expanded private school vouchers and narrowed abortion rights. Cooper's perceived accomplishments raised his national profile in 2024, making him as a potential running mate for Kamala Harris until he said it 'just wasn't the right time' for him and for North Carolina. Republicans have argued that Cooper remains susceptible politically, citing what they consider an extreme record supporting abortion rights and opposing school choice that led to many vetoes. They've also cited a gubernatorial administration marked by spending overruns at the state Department of Transportation; its response to Helene and delays in rebuilding or renovating homes after Hurricanes Matthew and Florence; and executive orders that restricted businesses and school instruction during COVID-19. As for the roaring economy, Republicans credit themselves through lower taxes and deregulation. Tillis' retirement announcement heartened far-right Republicans and strong Trump supporters who have been unhappy for years with his willingness to challenge Trump's actions and his Cabinet agency choices. Republicans had deferred to the president's daughter-in-law Lara Trump, who is a North Carolina native, North Carolina State University graduate and a popular former RNC co-chair with Whatley during the 2024 election campaign. She posted on the social media platform X on Thursday that she would not seek the Senate seat.

37 minutes ago
Georgia Republican Mike Collins joins field seeking to challenge Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in 2026
ATLANTA -- Georgia Republican Mike Collins said Monday that he will join the field challenging Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff in the state the GOP has named as their top target to add a Senate seat in 2026. A second-term member of Congress from a district east of Atlanta, Collins becomes the newest top Republican to get into the primary race. U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter is already running, while state Insurance Commissioner John King dropped out. Also expected to run is former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley. 'Jon Ossoff must go,' Collins said in a July 8 video. 'He certainly doesn't represent the vast majority of Georgians. He certainly doesn't represent the Georgia values that I cherish so much. Collins had been mulling a run since Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced in May that he would not run against Ossoff, depriving Republicans of their top choice to challenge a senator who won the 2021 runoff in the wake of the 2020 election. Twin victories by Ossoff and Raphael Warnock gave Democrats control of the U.S. Senate at the time and. It was the first time since 2002 that Georgia had two Democratic senators. Although Democrats have made Georgia increasingly competitive, Collins is among those who view Ossoff's election as a fluke and proclaim that the state is still fundamentally conservative. 'We deserve to have two U.S. senators who are out there fighting for us, and protecting us, not some woke overlords or some far-left-wing California donor base," Collins said in the video. The 58-year-old Collins is the son of the late Mac Collins, who was an eight-term congressman who began his political career as a Democrat before becoming a Republican. Mike Collins is a co-owner of a family trucking firm and made a losing bid for Congress in 2014. He reemerged to win a 2022 race for an open seat, portraying himself as an everyman trucker and hard-core Donald Trump acolyte. With a big, booming personality and an edgy social media presence, Collins calls himself a 'MAGA workhorse.' Kemp and Trump have met and said they would try to agree on a preferred candidate. Anyone anointed by both of them would be stamped as the Republican front-runner. Kemp told Collins and others he would support Dooley, but Trump isn't ready to endorse yet. Collins has portrayed his interest in the Senate as seeking to best serve Trump 'I am going to continue to talk with President Trump and his team just about where we can be the best, beneficial, most help in this mission to make sure we get a Republican in the U.S. Senate from Georgia," Collins said in the July 8 video. Collins' district stretches across 18 counties from the eastern suburbs of Atlanta through Athens. His best-known legislative accomplishment is a law passed this year to require the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency to detain undocumented immigrants charged with theft. That was a response to the 2024 murder of Laken Riley, a nursing student who was killed by Jose Antonio Ibarra, a Venezuelan man who federal officials said entered the U.S. illegally and was allowed to stay while he pursued his immigration case. The representative portrays himself as someone who can get things done, but he often takes a combative approach on social media. In March 2024 he was criticized for promoting a post from an antisemitic account that attacked a Jewish journalist as a 'garbage human.' In February 2024, his account on the social media platform X was temporarily suspended after he suggested that someone who had been arrested by federal authorities should be transported by 'Pinochet Air,' a reference to people who were thrown to their deaths from helicopters during the rule of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet. That strategy could help Collins draw attention to wield against Ossoff — the only Democratic Senate incumbent seeking reelection in 2026 who represents a state Trump won. The race has already begun. Ossoff held his second campaign rally July 12 in Savannah. National Republicans have advertised against Ossoff's opposition to a bill barring schools from allowing transgender athletes to participate in women's sports. Ossoff raised $21 million in the first six months of this year and had $15.5 million in cash on June 30. But that's only the beginning. Ossoff and Warnock's twin Senate victories in 2021 cost more than $900 million combined, according to OpenSecrets, which tracks political spending. Warnock's 2022 reelection over Republican Herschel Walker cost more than $470 million, OpenSecrets found.