Iowa has a highly restrictive legislative landscape for transgender individuals. The state passed several anti-trans bills in 2023 and 2025, removing gender identity protections from the Civil Rights Act and banning gender-affirming care for minors.
2023:
- Senate File 538 (SF 538): Signed by Governor Kim Reynolds on March 22, 2023, effective immediately
- Prohibits gender-affirming care (e.g., hormone therapy, puberty blockers) for minors under 18
- Grandfather clause allowing ongoing treatments until September 18, 2023
- Violations lead to disciplinary action or lawsuits for providers
2025:
- Senate File 418 (SF 418): Signed by Governor Reynolds on February 27, 2025, effective July 1, 2025
- Removes "gender identity" from Iowa Civil Rights Act protections (affecting employment, housing, education)
- Defines sex as binary ("male" or "female" at birth based on reproductive biology)
- Equates "gender" with biological sex
- Requires birth certificates to list birth sex (barring changes via surgery affidavits)
- Bans "gender theory" or sexual orientation instruction in K-6 curricula
- States separate accommodations by sex are not unequal
- Makes discrimination claims harder for transgender individuals
2024:
- 39 anti-trans bills tracked impacting education, healthcare, bathrooms, birth certificates, civil rights, marriage, performance, incarceration
- Examples: Curriculum modifications arguing against transgender treatments, protections for using legal names/pronouns, bans on DEI efforts referencing gender identity
- No specific enactments highlighted
- Transgender students banned from school bathrooms matching their gender identity
- Transgender students banned from girls' sports and women's college athletics
| Name |
Party |
Chamber |
Key Actions |
| Gov. Kim Reynolds |
R |
Governor |
Signed SF 538 (2023), SF 418 (2025) |
| Date |
Event |
| March 22, 2023 |
Gov. Reynolds signs SF 538 (healthcare ban) |
| September 18, 2023 |
Grandfather clause ends for ongoing treatments |
| 2024 |
39 anti-trans bills tracked; no enactments |
| February 27, 2025 |
Gov. Reynolds signs SF 418 (removes gender identity protections) |
| July 1, 2025 |
SF 418 takes effect |
- Wikipedia - Iowa Senate File 538
- Trans Legislation Tracker 2024/IA
- Ogletree - Iowa Removes Gender Identity
- ACLU Legislative Attacks 2023
- Iowa Legislature - SF 418
- One Iowa Action - 2023 Bills
- Trans Legislation Tracker 2023/IA
- Trans Legislation Tracker - SF 538
Last updated: 2026-04-02