Native committee types petition to take away ‘gender identification’ from Iowa’s civil rights laws | Iowa

PELLA – Several local residents have worked to form a new committee that will ask Iowa lawmakers to repeal part of a 2007 Democratic law that makes gender identity a Iowa civil liberty.

The group will be named Iowans for House File 272, based on a bill introduced by Rep. Dean Fisher that would remove gender identity from Iowa civil rights legislation enacted by Governor Chet Culver in 2007.

The trial comes after a summer controversy that developed in the Pella Pool when a transgender man used the men’s locker room at the Pella Aquatic Center in June. Many local citizens expressed their dissatisfaction at a special session of the city council and at other subsequent meetings.

Among the issues the group picked up with the incident and dealings with the city was a statement they believed had closed the matter prematurely. A statement posted on the city’s Facebook page shortly after the incident said: “The city of Pella has received concerns about the swimwear of a patron who recently visited the Pella Aquatic Center. The city has examined the matter with legal counsel and no further action will be taken. The city regards this matter as settled. “

Many parents have raised concerns on this issue, including disclosing the possible dangers and harms to their children that they believe appear indecent.

However, the “matter” is still ongoing, according to Chair Helena Hayes.

“Other incidents across the state have also occurred at the Sioux Center, Jefferson, and other Iowa communities where other transgender people are taking advantage of civil rights law and indecently exposing themselves in public,” said Hayes.

The group will circulate a petition to get concrete support for a striking “gender identity” from the current civil rights law.

Pella Books, located at 824 Franklin St., has made the petition available for review and signature. Anita Fischer is in contact with legislative officials and a recruiter for petition circulators across the state.

“We’re looking for hundreds of nationwide volunteers willing to hand out petitions and collect signatures to keep morale for the next generation,” said Keith Hoksbergen.

“We expect massive support and will present it in the next legislative period in January 2022,” said Fischer.