Several dozen people gathered on the state capitol steps Sunday for a rally to support transgender Iowans. Jo Allen was a lead organizer of the event.
“People that run this state don’t necessarily listen to our voices and that’s why we need spaces like this,” Allen said, “so that people can listen to the voices that are being impacted by bills that are being passed.”
A month ago, Governor Reynolds signed a bill requiring all participants in girls’ sports in Iowa high schools and women’s sports in Iowa colleges to have been identified as female on their birth certificates. Rally-goers say the move harms trans students who are at higher risk of suicide than their peers.
(By Katarina Sostaric, Iowa Public Radio)