Friend –

It's hard even to keep track of all the awful legislation that Governor Kim Reynolds and state legislators are pushing forward to silence, bully, and even flat-out deny the existence of LGBTQ kids – especially transgender kids.

The proposals are chilling. They include preventing kids from getting age-appropriate medical care and banning the mere discussion of LGBTQ families in schools, even if the child is a member of that family. They are proposing erasing any references, books, or discussions that might acknowledge the fact that gay, non-binary, and transgender kids and adults are our friends, our neighbors, our teachers, our classmates, our teammates, and our family members.

These blatantly anti-LGBTQ bills fly in the face of long-standing and repeated recommendations of educators, doctors, and mental health professionals. Instead, politicians are deciding that they know what is best for individual kids and individual families.

This is a deliberate effort to stop LGBTQ kids from being able to live their lives in peace and with the privacy and dignity we all deserve.

We all need to stand up, speak up, and protect the rights of transgender and LGBT Iowans. And to LGBTQ Iowans, especially to the children and teens who are being targeted yet again, you are not alone. We are with you. You are valued; you are supported; and you are loved for being exactly who you are.

With gratitude,

Mark Stringer
Pronouns: He, him, his
Executive Director, ACLU of Iowa