Students across Iowa plan to walk out of their classes on Wednesday in protest of a recent slew of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, including a proposal made Tuesday to ban same-sex marriage in the state constitution. The demonstration is set to occur in at least 14 Iowa public school districts and at one university, according to the Des Moines Register. “There have been children, psychiatrists, doctors, parents, teachers who have been talking directly to [Republican lawmakers] about how these bills are harming students and will cause things like bullying, depression, anxiety, and etc,” high school senior and organizer Jemma Bullock told the newspaper. “And they just will not listen.” The protests were initiated by Iowa Queer Student Alliance and student group IowaWTF, which tracks the state legislature. Other bills seen as antagonistic to the LGBTQ+ community this session include one that would restrict gender-affirming care for minors, and another barring educators from teaching young students about gender identity and sexual orientation. “Well, here in Iowa, WE SAY GAY,” IowaQSA announced in an Instagram post about the protest last week.
