Iowa City reaffirms civil rights protection for LGBTQ+ community

IOWA CITY — The Iowa City Council unanimously adopted a resolution Tuesday reaffirming its commitment to protecting the LGBTQ+ community’s civil rights. The move comes after Republican state lawmakers this year passed a bill that changed the state’s Civil Rights Act.

The resolution was proposed in part to bring attention to city code, which has identified gender identity as a protected class since the mid-1990s, and to remind residents of local measures available to protect against discrimination, city leaders said.

Senate File 418, which was passed by the Iowa Legislature, signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds, and went into effect July 1, removed gender identity as a protected class from the Iowa Civil Rights Act, strikes the definition of gender identity in state law and creates new legal definitions of male and female based on reproductive organs at birth.

The bill also created a new definition for gender, which would be considered a synonym for sex and “shall not be considered a synonym or shorthand expression for gender identity, experienced gender, gender expression, or gender role.”

“Every person in Iowa City deserve to feel safe, respected and protected, regardless of who they are. When rights are stripped from one group, it threatens the safety and the dignity of all of us. This resolution reaffirms our values as a city, and sends a clear message that Iowa City stands on the side of equity, justice and human rights …” said council member Mazihir Salih.

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Resolution developed in partnership with Trans Advisory Committee

The resolution was developed in partnership with members of Johnson County’s Trans Advisory Committee. The committee, which was established in March 2024, is comprised of members of the transgender and nonbinary community, county staff, county supervisors and other county residents.

The resolution doesn’t change anything from the city’s legal standpoint, but council members said they felt it was an important thing to do for the Iowa City community.

“If you look to history, no amount of putting your head in the sand is going to protect you, right?” said council member Oliver Weilein. “You need to make bold statements, not just bold statements, but bold actions. And you need to be willing to fight for the people that live in your community, whether that be legal battles, whether that be passing resolutions that you know might get challenged, you need to get in the fight, not just stay away from it, because there's always a chance you can win.”

Weilein said he’d like to see other local municipalities, such as Coralville and North Liberty, pass similar resolutions.

Community members voiced their support for the resolution at Tuesday’s meeting, but said the resolution should be a first step, and that the city should continue to explore other ways to protect and advocate for all residents.

“I'm glad to see this resolution here today, and would like to recognize it as a welcome first step in this fight, it means a lot to know that our city is willing to take steps that no other city in the state has, especially the commitment to joining the legal fight to restore and preserve our rights, and the understanding that these are constitutional rights,” Emma Denney, a member of the Trans Advisory Committee, said during public comment about the resolution.

Iowa City Human Rights Ordinance

Iowa City’s Human Rights ordinance for bids discrimination in credit, education, employment, housing, and public accommodation on the basis of gender identity, sexual orientation and other protected classes.

Anyone can file a claim of discrimination and Iowa City staff will conduct an investigation. Complaints against the city or city staff are automatically forwarded to the Iowa Civil Rights Commission.

“Local enforcement can provide faster response relating to complaints of discrimination in the community, and responses at the city level can be tailored to that community and really reflect our values,” said council member Laura Bergus.

Comments: megan.woolard@thegazette.com

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