Waterloo West Students Walkout to Protest Iowa Transgender Law

As we shared in early March when the news broke, Governor Kim Reynolds signed a bill into law regarding the participation of transgender athletes in sports all over the Hawkeye State.

The official political material entitled House File 2416 reads, "only female students, based on their sex may participate in any team, sport or athletic event designed as being for females, women, or girls."

Yesterday, Thursday, March 31 several dozen Waterloo West students put together a walkout to protest the new law. The walkout came on International Transgender Visibility Day. According to GLSEN.org, "The day is dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments of transgender and gender-nonconforming people while raising awareness of the work that still needs to be done to achieve trans justice."

The law not only affects high school sports, but "It includes college and university athletes as well as K-12 student-athletes," according to KWWL.

The Republican argument against the participation of transgender women in sports is the physical advantage biological men and boys pose over biological women and girls. It is presented as a fairness issue by those on the right.

Iowa is now among 12 other states in the U.S. to adopt these laws.

These are the other states with said laws:

• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Florida
• Georgia
• Idaho
• Iowa
• Mississippi
• Montana
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• West Virginia (ban was blocked by a federal court)

The report from KWWL continues: "During the roughly 30-minute walkout, some students shared their experiences. Others spoke out against the law and said it is harmful to young transgender women and deepens discrimination against them."

In an interview, Waterloo West Senior Sandi Hasanagi had this to say:

I feel like the transgender bill shouldn't be a thing. I feel like every person, or human being should have the equal right to play with others, and we shouldn't put people in their own section just because like they're, you know, transgender.