A bill stripping civil rights from transgender Iowans is up for vote today and I'm home sick. Just like old times — I’ve got live streams from both chambers of the Iowa Legislature running at the same time while texting half a dozen people updates. Feels like I should be getting paid for this.
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Sen. Blake had been going for a while and started in on Iowa's past.
CHAIR: "Sen Blake, this is the third time I've had to stop you. Please refrain from those type of comments."
BLAKE: "About history?"
The gallery erupts in boos and the House adjourns.
Iowa lawmakers have voted to remove gender identity from civil rights code. The bill heads for the governor's desk.
He's also mad that Medicaid pays for gender affirming care.
Honestly I hate Steven Holt and have considered him a personal nemesis for years and I think I' done quoting his trash mouth
Holt once again says he's here for women's rights. He says this is about "the elevating of feelings to a protected class."
He says "we've known for a while that Democrats cannot define women."
Once again postures that Iowa has to remove gender identity as a protected class to protect women.
"She was a female erased" by a transgender woman. "And that's my definition of toxic masculinity."
A story from Johnson County, that a trans woman has filed a lawsuit over the bathroom law. Yeah, that's what happens when you pass a dumb law.
Dani is googling and can't find any evidence of these stories in the news.
The same week she publicly transitioned, she received notice of eviction.
"The purpose of this bill is to force us back into the closet. The authors of these bills wish us every harm."
"As it says in the rotunda: 'Where law ends, tyranny begins.'"
"Those think tanks will ask you again and again and again to remove rights from your fellow Iowans until none remain. Draw a line in the sand."
Sen. Dotzler is...trying his best as he tells a story about a trans childhood friend. He lands it: "When we talk about 'liberty & justice for all' somehow you don't think transgender people are art of 'all'".
She asks if the six-month timeline in the bill is enough to determine if a child is intersex.
Holt says yes.
She explains we don’t do genetic screenings at birth that would determine this.
She asks if Holt believes every newborn should be screened.
Srinivas: “It could be any child, that’s why we’d have to test everyone.”
Holt: “I don’t think that’s true.”
Srinivas: “Well, I’m glad you’re questioning my medical expertise.”
Holt refuses to answer.