Hundreds showed up against Iowa House Bill 2082, a bill that would remove trans people from the state's civil rights act and would declare them to be disabled.
This is good news, and a great example of people showing out to support the trans community.
Do we know why this bill specifically tried to classify trans people as disabled? I feel like this is something we haven't seen in legislation before, and that always makes me suspicious of the ulterior motive...
I wondered that too. It seems new. It it also seems as though designating trans people as "disabled" under some existing legal definition that applies to others might have the effect of protecting their rights as a "disabled person."
But the main purpose of these bills is for them to signal their contempt and wave it in our faces. If they manage to actually become law, so much the better.
This is great news! I’m happy for trans Iowans! This shows the value of getting out the supporters to protest against these horrible bills. After the wretched news out of Florida and Ohio lately, this win was sorely needed. Now if Iowa could just rescind their horrible athletics and bathroom bans.
I can hardly believe that there are two sane republicans left, but a win is a win, and with all the current bad news lately, we can't look a gift horse in the mouth.
It's great that this was defeated, and horrifying that it was proposed in the first place. But am I the only one who laughed out loud at the "trans women are creepy old men" bit and "allowing transgender women in bathrooms would lead to them spreading bodily fluids" 😂 I am so exhausted of this news cycle that this just broke my brain.
At the linked Twitter page, Erin seems to be quoting directly things said at the meeting. From Erin's tweet:
<< The sponsors lead speaker says that "gender identity" has "no physical reality" and "destroys rights."
Says protecting trans people allows "straight men to smear semen on every stall and parade around nude in women's locker rooms waving erections in your little girls face." >>
Those words are truly striking. Is there audio on this?
The second quote, about what the law allows trans people to do, reads like someone's private fantasy being codified as public law, so as to make it extra forbidden: stop me before I do it again! They are terrified of something in themselves.
The first quote, the idea that "gender identity" has "no physical reality." I've seen that idea expressed as "gender identity is something only trans people have." But isn't it their (the presumably cis person's) own gender identity that they're protecting when they try to outlaw and disappear trans folks?
But then, the idea that gender identity has "no physical reality" is actually kind of true, in many ways that's the key point: gender identity is a largely mental phenomenon, a cognitive process, existing without any necessary connection or correlation to "physical reality." Is that what they mean? If so, then that's a good starting position for further understanding.
Getting cis people to experience their own gender identity is fairly simple: accidentally misgender them.
Oh, there's physical reality alright. I wish I knew the scientists behind the brainwave patterns of trans people that shows ours is the opposite gender on our birth certificates, or leaning in the opposite direction. So, again, they lie like they have no good sense. They know nothing. Ignorance is their specialty.
So fuck science and just declare to be mentally disabled because someone doesn't fit into your sad, frightened, narrow view based upon a work of fiction and the belief in a fictitious deity? That very much seems to be the new Christo-fascist Republican Party.
Yes! It always feels like a glimmer of sunshine on a rainy day when these events get reported. I can't wait to hear about more and more of this ignorant hate being shut down. Thanks, Erin, for all you do.
Finally a ray of sunshine in the darkness. I’m surprised this happened in Iowa, but happy and relieved.
Insane this was ever put forth. But not surprised. And I for one won’t be surprised to see it surface elsewhere.
This is good news, and a great example of people showing out to support the trans community.
Do we know why this bill specifically tried to classify trans people as disabled? I feel like this is something we haven't seen in legislation before, and that always makes me suspicious of the ulterior motive...
I wondered that too. It seems new. It it also seems as though designating trans people as "disabled" under some existing legal definition that applies to others might have the effect of protecting their rights as a "disabled person."
But the main purpose of these bills is for them to signal their contempt and wave it in our faces. If they manage to actually become law, so much the better.
This is great news! I’m happy for trans Iowans! This shows the value of getting out the supporters to protest against these horrible bills. After the wretched news out of Florida and Ohio lately, this win was sorely needed. Now if Iowa could just rescind their horrible athletics and bathroom bans.
I can hardly believe that there are two sane republicans left, but a win is a win, and with all the current bad news lately, we can't look a gift horse in the mouth.
Amazing!!! Great work everyone involved!
It's great that this was defeated, and horrifying that it was proposed in the first place. But am I the only one who laughed out loud at the "trans women are creepy old men" bit and "allowing transgender women in bathrooms would lead to them spreading bodily fluids" 😂 I am so exhausted of this news cycle that this just broke my brain.
Disposing of bodily fluids is the entire reason we have bathrooms in the first place. Everybody needs to pee.
These people are deranged and can't help themselves.
Oh, they most certainly *can* help themselves. They just don't want to.
Such good news! I hope that is more like this - we need it.
Would love to see some bills defeated in MO like this. I have hope!
At the linked Twitter page, Erin seems to be quoting directly things said at the meeting. From Erin's tweet:
<< The sponsors lead speaker says that "gender identity" has "no physical reality" and "destroys rights."
Says protecting trans people allows "straight men to smear semen on every stall and parade around nude in women's locker rooms waving erections in your little girls face." >>
Those words are truly striking. Is there audio on this?
The second quote, about what the law allows trans people to do, reads like someone's private fantasy being codified as public law, so as to make it extra forbidden: stop me before I do it again! They are terrified of something in themselves.
The first quote, the idea that "gender identity" has "no physical reality." I've seen that idea expressed as "gender identity is something only trans people have." But isn't it their (the presumably cis person's) own gender identity that they're protecting when they try to outlaw and disappear trans folks?
But then, the idea that gender identity has "no physical reality" is actually kind of true, in many ways that's the key point: gender identity is a largely mental phenomenon, a cognitive process, existing without any necessary connection or correlation to "physical reality." Is that what they mean? If so, then that's a good starting position for further understanding.
Getting cis people to experience their own gender identity is fairly simple: accidentally misgender them.
Yep, they are the one thinking about and describing this disgusting scene but we're the ones you have to worry about. Got it.
Oh, there's physical reality alright. I wish I knew the scientists behind the brainwave patterns of trans people that shows ours is the opposite gender on our birth certificates, or leaning in the opposite direction. So, again, they lie like they have no good sense. They know nothing. Ignorance is their specialty.
But mental phenomena and cognitive processes have correlations with brain activity, which is certainly physical reality.
So fuck science and just declare to be mentally disabled because someone doesn't fit into your sad, frightened, narrow view based upon a work of fiction and the belief in a fictitious deity? That very much seems to be the new Christo-fascist Republican Party.
Right ... exactly.
This gives me hope. Thank you, Erin.
Tells you everything you need to know about these people, though.
Declaring trans people to be disabled is an insult to trans folk as well as people with actual disabilities.
Yes! It always feels like a glimmer of sunshine on a rainy day when these events get reported. I can't wait to hear about more and more of this ignorant hate being shut down. Thanks, Erin, for all you do.
‘Creepy old men’ - projection every time.
Exactly. It's the cisgender (or genetic) men that are creepy. This has never been true about trans women. NEVAH!
My heart is warmed not by the two republicans but by all the folks that took time out of their day, energy, gas, money to show up and support.