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Trans Teen Who Went Topless in Public Is Protected by Iowa Law, Says City

In 2007, the Iowa Civil Rights Act was amended to include protections for an individual’s sexual orientation and gender identity. The law states, “It shall be unfair or discriminatory practice for any owner, lessee, sublessee, proprietor, manager, or superintendent of any public accommodation or any agent or employee thereof to refuse or deny to any person because of…gender identity…the accommodations, advantages, facilities, services, or privileges thereof.” 

The Iowa Civil Rights Commission explains, “Iowa law does not prohibit places of public accommodation from maintaining separate facilities for the different sexes, so long as they are comparable. The new law does require, however, that individuals are permitted to access those facilities in accordance with their gender identity, rather than their assigned sex at birth, without being harassed or questioned.” 

Mayor Don DeWaard told open forum attendees, “Just so you understand, the city council does not make laws. We have to abide by the law.” While the city’s word on the matter sounds final, KNIA-KRLS reported, “Councilmembers Lynn Branderhorst and Bruce Schiebout asked residents for patience as they sort out what–if any, options exist to change guidelines at the Pella Aquatic Center.”

A incident similar to the one in Pella occurred recently at a spa in Los Angeles. A video posted one week ago by a woman who goes by the handle @cubanaangel has gone viral. The video shows the woman at Wi Spa in Koreatown expressing outrage that a naked man had walked through the women’s area of the spa. Toward the beginning of the footage, a spa employee tells the woman that the spa cannot discriminate against people based on sexual orientation (and presumably gender identity).

It also sounds as though at the end of the video another staffer told the woman she was right and that a security guard had explained that male predators sometimes walk naked through the women’s area of the spa. How the situation concluded remains unclear, although the woman is planning a protest in front of the spa on July 3. Something else that is not clear from reports is whether or not the man in question actually identifies as trans.