Student react to recent changes in Iowa’s transgender laws

Noah LaBrie- Junior 

“It feels extremely crushing to know that the government is fighting against minorities everywhere.”

Micheal Haynes- Sophomore

“I think the recent laws passed against trans Iowans is an appalling violation of human rights. I have no doubts that it will lead to a mass exodus of trans people from Iowa, and worse, lead to hate crimes and suicides for those who don’t have the resources to leave. I think the Iowa legislators who passed these bills should be ashamed of themselves.  The pursuit of happiness is a human right under the Constitution, and this blatantly violates that right for many people. As grim as this sounds, I do think there’s hope for trans people in Iowa. For those who have already started medically transitioning with hormone replacement therapy, research neighboring states where you can continue to access it. Focus on organizing and mutual aid with the people in your community, and don’t give in to defeatist, nihilistic thinking.”

Elliot Martin- Junior

“These bills affect the community as a whole—not just the trans/LGBTQ+ community. Those who are close with trans kids know that this is extremely scary for them. If bullying wasn’t bad before, it’s going to be a lot worse now; transphobes will see these bills and use them as an excuse to further hate on our community. While CFHS is a lot better at being accepting than other schools, it’s still not great. The teachers and staff are wonderful at being inclusive and welcoming, however, many of the students here think it’s OK to harass others for literally just living.”