On Tuesday, March 19, members of the transgender community organized a demonstration against the state government, urging the Iowa City City Council to acquire “enacting sanctuary area laws and policies” at its normal meeting.
A group of about 15 transgender people’s friends and their friends, with many more in presence, declared that the government shelter had “provide an area for safety.”
Iowa City tenant, University of Iowa Ph. D. prospect, and transgender girl Emma Denney demanded the government document a charter of “non- protection” for current and future anti- trans laws. Denney argued that the transgender community should receive more protection under the charter.
” Our society needs more than just simple words of support from this council,” Denney said. We frequently hear stories about how important we are to this diverse area, as we were, but we also heard this currently. In this current climate of hostility and violence, we need to take action.
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Denney argued that Iowa City really taking action, “however difficult it may be”, to safeguard regional trans people from “oppression” across the state. Denney said many young trans people reached out to them because they “fear retribution” from the city and local law enforcement.
Maeve Reynen, a transperson, spoke on the danger of complicity.
Reynen made reference to an ELLE Magazine article that described Nora Anderson’s life as a transient Iowa City resident. Anderson was identified as one of a number of “gender refugees” who had left their communities due to local and state gender identity discrimination.
” While anti- trans legislation, rhetoric and terror take over the state, we can be different”, Reynen said. There are” a lot of people here who really, really care about making changes.”
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Sunday, March 31 declared Trans Day of Visibility
On Tuesday, two Human Rights Commission members ratified the city’s declaration of March 31 as Trans Day of Visibility.
In addition to expressing gratitude for the recognition, Iowa City has hosted several guest speakers who have delivered” speeches intended to harass, marginalize, and demonize” transgender people over the past year.
” T”his problem is n’t just occurring in other states, and it’s not just the rhetoric and discriminatory legislation coming out of Des Moines,” said Commission chair Doug Kollasch. Right here in Iowa City, transgender people are the target of discrimination and abuse.
Kollasch also urged the city to support the fight against transgender rights, noting that the government and local law enforcement “discriminate against and participate in this erasure” of transgender people.
Ryan Hansen covers crime and local government for the Press-Citizen. He can be reached atrhansen@press- citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ryanhansen01.
