June 11th, 2022

[Des Moines]— During the Iowa GOP State Convention, Governor Kim Reynolds delivered inflammatory remarks that targeted LGBTQ Iowans and highlighted inclusion efforts in public schools as a negative that she wishes to legislate against. 

Per reporting from the Des Moines Register, Reynolds cited “drag queens in schools” and “elementary school lessons on pronouns” as detrimental to Iowa’s public school system. 

Schools across the country know that transgender students, like any student, thrive when they’re treated with dignity and respect. Continuing to single out trans students for scrutiny and exclusion year after year harms those students and does damage to school policies intended to ensure all students are treated equally. 

One Iowa Action Executive Director, Courtney Reyes, responded to Governor Reynolds in a statement:

“Governor Reynolds, I’m a mom with two kids in school. I know that our schools exist to impart valuable information in subjects like English and math and to show kids how to treat each other with basic respect. Pronouns are a basic component of the English language, and using them appropriately is a matter of respect. I invite you to meet with trans students and their families and hear how your words come across as hurtful and exclusionary to some of the most marginalized children in our state.

Our state government has serious problems to address. Iowans want to hear how their leaders will create high-paying jobs to provide for the families, protect the environment, and address legitimate safety issues in our schools. Criticizing efforts to respect trans students does none of those things and only serves to harm those students.”

Categories: Press Releases