The leader of an Iowa LGBTQ rights nonprofit is encouraging Iowans who want to change the sex on their Iowa birth certificate to do it as soon as possible.
The new state law removing civil rights protections for gender identity also requires new birth certificates to reflect a person’s sex at birth.
Max Mowitz, executive director of OneIowa, says transgender Iowans should prepare now, even though the law doesn’t take effect until July 1st.
“We are recommending that folks get connected with an affirming lawyer,” Mowitz says, “but we know that for right now, people should still be able to change their sex designation.”
That process typically takes several weeks. Currently, a notarized affidavit from a physician is required to change the sex on an Iowa-issued birth certificate. It must state the person has gone through treatment to change their sex. After July 1st, changes to the sex designation on Iowa birth certificates will not be allowed.
The wide-ranging new law also bans transgender women from women’s bathrooms, shelters and prisons. Mowitz says some LGBTQ people and families, especially ones with transgender members, will probably move out of Iowa because of this legislation.
“If you are a person leaving the state, just know that there are a lot of folks fighting behind you to try to make the state better,” Mowitz says, “but for folks that cannot leave the state, we’re going to be right here alongside you, and we’re not going to give up on Iowa.” Mowitz says anyone impacted by this legislation should contact OneIowa for resources.
The new law removing gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights Act leaves few protections for transgender Iowans, according to a Drake University law professor. The act prevents discrimination in housing, employment, public accommodations and more. Some federal laws protect transgender people, but Professor Mark Kende says the Trump administration may render those laws ineffective.
“There were some federal protections. They didn’t cover everything in the first place, so state law filled in the gaps,” Kende says. “Secondly, I’m not sure those protections exist anymore because of the executive orders, and I suspect more orders that will be coming from the Trump administration.”
President Trump signed an executive order on his first day in office stating there are only two biological sexes. Kende was a guest on the Iowa Public Radio program River to River.
(By Meghan McKinney and Lucia Cheng, Iowa Public Radio)