The Republican governor of Iowa on Thursday signed a bill into law that immediately prohibits transgender women and girls from playing on female sports teams, marking the 11th state to pass such legislation. Kim Reynolds, who last year signed legislation into law that prevented mask mandates from being enforced in K-12 schools, called it “a victory for girls’ sports in Iowa.” She added, “No amount of talent, training or effort can make up for the natural physical advantages males have over females. It’s simply a reality of human biology. Forcing females to compete against males is the opposite of inclusivity and it’s absolutely unfair.” The ban extends to K-12 schools, colleges, and universities. Reynolds did not speak to any transgender students while considering the legislation, according to her staff. State Senate Minority Leader Zach Wahls called her decision “appalling,” adding in a statement that Reynolds was “more interested in scoring political points than caring about the impact of legislation on some of the most marginalized kids in our society.”
