Thank you again, Rekha, for such an eloquent piece. So shameful. Iowa continues to “lead” the nation in so many undesirable and hurtful ways: worst water quality, fewest mental health beds per capita, fewest ob/gyn doctors per capita, among the fewest nursing home care givers per occupant, one of only two states whose cancer rates are rising, and now the only state in history to remove civil rights protections from a group of its citizens. Such an unwelcoming environment is largely responsible for the lack of physicians and the young people who leave the state after college for better places to live. We are in a sad downward spiral and it is hard to see how things are going to improve given the hateful group that is steering the ship.
Well put, Joel, but so incredibly sad. This isn’t the state I moved from NY to in the early ‘90s and returned to from Florida in the early 2000s. I used to think
Steve King was a one off, but now almost every elected Republican in the state is of that mindset.
Is the Gov going to order transgender people tattooed or something so that the masses will not be offended when a trans is spotted using birth gender bathrooms? I am waiting for a birth male, transgendered to a female, gets hurt in a men’s bathroom by being bullied, physically injured or mentally injured. This bill accomplishes absolutely nothing.
In a perfect world, this column of yours would be required reading for the dunderheads in the Iowa legislature before they shamefully stripped rights away from the transgendered.
Thanks Kris. What bothers me most I think is the groupthink. Most are just willing to go along with what the most vocal are pushing without researching or thinking it through for themselves — no matter who it’ll hurt.
What a cruel charade. One trans person trumping the rights of everyone else. No empathy for the people who she's causing discomfort, anxiety and confusion for. No consideration for the dozens of store employees whose jobs and livelihood she's threatening with being fired. Given that as a result of testosterone, surgery, a beard, etc. she looks convincingly male, she has no need to use the women's bathroom. She has deliberately undertaken this sex impersonation. She would have no problem using the men's bathroom, yet she cruelly chooses the deliberate provocation of using the women's bathroom knowing the fear and anxiety she'll cause. What a hoax to then pretend she's innocent of the panic she's setin motion. Most all parents tell their young children not to go into the men's bathroom, even little boys are taken into the women's bathroom until they are about seven years old as their parents fear they could be molested in a bathroom alone where men are present. There are so many reported incidents of women being accosted and/or threatening by trans in women's bathrooms. If you're not aware of it it's only because you're not interested in finding out.
Such a simple demonstration to explain to people exactly what they are missing when it comes to basic human rights and how legislating to keep people segregated is quite obviously ignorant. It does establish discrimination as a norm, something that will certainly become apparent rather quickly and cause many people a whole lot of pain in that process.
The erasure of women as a sex is not supported by the vast majority, or scientific fact, which is why many voters didn't want anyone from the Biden administration in office. By default Trump was elected despite being despised by the same people. Women are more than the "birthing parent, people with front holes, cervix havers" etc. Yet their very existence is being denied by their erasure from the language. The safety of women and children is severely undermined by allowing men in women's bathroom, shelters, sports and so forth. These policies of prioritizing men's right to impersonate women over women's right to safety has set women back decades. Whether trans identified male or not men, by virtue of being responsible for 97% of violent crimes, pose grave risks for women.
For those women who spent decades working to protect women against male-pattern-violence by establishing confidential shelters in undisclosed locations, the betrayal of allowing men impersonating women to invade these shelters and publish the shelter’s addresses is an action that strips the protection of many women from male violence and prioritizes affirming the fetishes of trans identified men. Women experiencing male violence have left shelters or have decided not to go because of the inclusion of men. Lives have been lost because of these regressive misogynistic policies. Once the confidentiality of a shelter has been breached and it's location disclosed there is no going back. The very reason shelters for battered women were established in the first place is negated. Trans and their allies have destroyed women's lives. There is no going back and making amends or making shelters confidential again.
If/when the Governor signs this into law I would like to see transgender people use the 'designated' restrooms in the state capital and see the reaction.
Thanks Tim. They’ll have no choice if they follow the law, but now they can’t be arrested! And the hardest line GOP lawmakers will be the ones freaking out the most.
DEI has NOTHING to do with The Golden Rule. Please! DEI gives preferential treatment to some select groups and looks to equal outcome not equal opportunity.
Thank you, Rekha, for reminding us that Iowa used to be a much more tolerant place to live. It breaks my heart to think about what the legislature has done removing civil rights protection for transgender citizens in our state. That bill is an unholy disgrace.
Thank you for this important post—it is hard to believe we are going to outlaw our friends, children, grandchildren with this terrible piece of legislation.
Thank you for your beautiful journalism, Rekha. You've shared a perspective that I'm sure many haven't considered.
Thank you so much, Jill.
Thank you again, Rekha, for such an eloquent piece. So shameful. Iowa continues to “lead” the nation in so many undesirable and hurtful ways: worst water quality, fewest mental health beds per capita, fewest ob/gyn doctors per capita, among the fewest nursing home care givers per occupant, one of only two states whose cancer rates are rising, and now the only state in history to remove civil rights protections from a group of its citizens. Such an unwelcoming environment is largely responsible for the lack of physicians and the young people who leave the state after college for better places to live. We are in a sad downward spiral and it is hard to see how things are going to improve given the hateful group that is steering the ship.
Well put, Joel, but so incredibly sad. This isn’t the state I moved from NY to in the early ‘90s and returned to from Florida in the early 2000s. I used to think
Steve King was a one off, but now almost every elected Republican in the state is of that mindset.
Sad truth, Rekha. 😢
Is the Gov going to order transgender people tattooed or something so that the masses will not be offended when a trans is spotted using birth gender bathrooms? I am waiting for a birth male, transgendered to a female, gets hurt in a men’s bathroom by being bullied, physically injured or mentally injured. This bill accomplishes absolutely nothing.
That or stripping down everyone going in who doesn’t look like they’re expected to.
Great article. Will share on Reddit
Thanks, Stephany!
In a perfect world, this column of yours would be required reading for the dunderheads in the Iowa legislature before they shamefully stripped rights away from the transgendered.
Thank you Chris. Sadly I don’t think it would have made much of a difference. They’re on an ideological mission.
Thank you Rekha! Iowa’s Republican wackos don’t have a clue or a heart.
Thanks Kris. What bothers me most I think is the groupthink. Most are just willing to go along with what the most vocal are pushing without researching or thinking it through for themselves — no matter who it’ll hurt.
What a cruel charade. One trans person trumping the rights of everyone else. No empathy for the people who she's causing discomfort, anxiety and confusion for. No consideration for the dozens of store employees whose jobs and livelihood she's threatening with being fired. Given that as a result of testosterone, surgery, a beard, etc. she looks convincingly male, she has no need to use the women's bathroom. She has deliberately undertaken this sex impersonation. She would have no problem using the men's bathroom, yet she cruelly chooses the deliberate provocation of using the women's bathroom knowing the fear and anxiety she'll cause. What a hoax to then pretend she's innocent of the panic she's setin motion. Most all parents tell their young children not to go into the men's bathroom, even little boys are taken into the women's bathroom until they are about seven years old as their parents fear they could be molested in a bathroom alone where men are present. There are so many reported incidents of women being accosted and/or threatening by trans in women's bathrooms. If you're not aware of it it's only because you're not interested in finding out.
Such a simple demonstration to explain to people exactly what they are missing when it comes to basic human rights and how legislating to keep people segregated is quite obviously ignorant. It does establish discrimination as a norm, something that will certainly become apparent rather quickly and cause many people a whole lot of pain in that process.
There are more stories like Kiera Bell than there are stories like Casey's.
https://stellaomalley.substack.com/p/the-dark-reality-behind-gender-affirming?publication_id=583431&play_audio=true&utm_content=watch_now_button&triedRedirect=true
The erasure of women as a sex is not supported by the vast majority, or scientific fact, which is why many voters didn't want anyone from the Biden administration in office. By default Trump was elected despite being despised by the same people. Women are more than the "birthing parent, people with front holes, cervix havers" etc. Yet their very existence is being denied by their erasure from the language. The safety of women and children is severely undermined by allowing men in women's bathroom, shelters, sports and so forth. These policies of prioritizing men's right to impersonate women over women's right to safety has set women back decades. Whether trans identified male or not men, by virtue of being responsible for 97% of violent crimes, pose grave risks for women.
For those women who spent decades working to protect women against male-pattern-violence by establishing confidential shelters in undisclosed locations, the betrayal of allowing men impersonating women to invade these shelters and publish the shelter’s addresses is an action that strips the protection of many women from male violence and prioritizes affirming the fetishes of trans identified men. Women experiencing male violence have left shelters or have decided not to go because of the inclusion of men. Lives have been lost because of these regressive misogynistic policies. Once the confidentiality of a shelter has been breached and it's location disclosed there is no going back. The very reason shelters for battered women were established in the first place is negated. Trans and their allies have destroyed women's lives. There is no going back and making amends or making shelters confidential again.
Please see below:
https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/man-dressed-as-woman-arrested-for-spying-into-mall-bathroom-stall-police-say/1979766/
https://www.eastidahonews.com/2017/01/target-voyeur-sentenced-victim-says-felt-emotional-mutilation-following-incident/
https://thepostmillennial.com/gender-fluid-male-who-raped-teen-girl-in-loudon-county-high-school-bathroom-identified-released-from-court-supervision-on-18th-birthday
https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/courts/848931/fife-sex-offender-back-in-court-after-breaching-community-payback-order/
https://www.womenarehuman.com/trans-identified-man-brutalizes-woman-who-questions-his-presence-in-womens-restroom-patrick-hagan/
https://www.kxii.com/content/news/Transgender-woman-allegedly-sexually-assaults-teen-in-walmart-505820451.html
https://www.womenarehuman.com/man-transsexual-arrested-for-assault-on-pregnant-woman-in-restroom/
https://www.womenarehuman.com/male-transgender-arrested-for-spitting-attack-following-complaint-about-his-presence-in-female-restroom
https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/secret-recording-store-mall-antelope-valley-palmdale-restroom/2061060/
https://www.wcvb.com/article/philip-chism-murder-danvers-teacher-colleen-ritzer-supreme-judicial-court-february-25/63916518
https://youtu.be/3rFfuG2Exyg
https://youtube.com/watch?v=qAya5rarPwQ&si=1EWWwdnQ0W4QKRqP
https://www.westernstandard.news/news/trans-liberal-advisor-doubles-down-on-competing-against-little-girls-in-sports/62272
https://nypost.com/2022/06/27/trans-woman-beats-13-year-old-in-womens-skateboarding-contest/
If/when the Governor signs this into law I would like to see transgender people use the 'designated' restrooms in the state capital and see the reaction.
Great article!
Thanks Tim. They’ll have no choice if they follow the law, but now they can’t be arrested! And the hardest line GOP lawmakers will be the ones freaking out the most.
Don’t forget people born intersex! Only two sexes at birth is not true.
DEI has NOTHING to do with The Golden Rule. Please! DEI gives preferential treatment to some select groups and looks to equal outcome not equal opportunity.
The cruelty of our new anti transgender civil rights law is the point.
Thank you, Rekha, for reminding us that Iowa used to be a much more tolerant place to live. It breaks my heart to think about what the legislature has done removing civil rights protection for transgender citizens in our state. That bill is an unholy disgrace.
Thank you for this important post—it is hard to believe we are going to outlaw our friends, children, grandchildren with this terrible piece of legislation.