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Thousands of Iowans rallied Sunday for LGBTQ rights at State Capitol

DES MOINES – Nearly two thousand Iowans gathered together Sunday at the Iowa state capitol to support the freedom of everyone in our state to be who they are and live without the fear of discrimination.

DES MOINES – Nearly two thousand Iowans gathered together Sunday at the Iowa state capitol to support the freedom of everyone in our state to be who they are and live without the fear of discrimination.

State capitol

Speakers included parents, leaders of faith, students, and community organizations.

There has been a non-stop list of discriminatory bills targeting LGBTQ Iowans during this year’s legislative session. Iowans have had enough of these vicious attacks.

“We will stand with you — make your voices heard,” said Jennifer Konfrst, the Iowa House Democratic Leader as she spoke in front of the capitol. “Freedom is the right to love who you want to love. To be who you want to be. To make decisions about your own body. We are here for freedom, and we will bring love back into this building.”

“This appalling set of bills in the legislature would severely hinder the ability of our caring and compassionate education professionals to do their jobs, which is to ensure ALL students are safe, healthy, and valued in our schools and our state,” said Stacy Schmidt, a teacher, Iowa State Education Association member, and chairperson of the ISEA LGBTQ+ Task Force. “LGBTQ+ young people face higher levels of homelessness and housing insecurity than their peers, sometimes as a result of the intolerance of parents and guardians. Knowing there is a trusted, safe adult in their schools can ensure that students in unstable or dangerous living situations are able to get the assistance they need.”

“I want to thank all the beautiful educators who are here fighting, creating safe spaces in your school, and everyone here fighting at the capitol,” said Chris Schwartz, LGBTQ community leader and County Supervisor from Black Hawk County. “I want to tell all my fellow queer people here: you are who you are supposed to be. And you are supposed to be here. And you are beautiful.”

“The majority of healthcare providers are with us,” said Dr. Kaaren Olesen, OB/GYN. “Health care is a right for everyone, free from political interference. Advocate for your health, and advocate for yourself.”

“You presume we act out of fear and anger because that’s what you do,” said David Lee, a cofounder of IowaWTF in a letter read to the Iowa legislature. “You are wrong. This movement is one sustained by love. Love for our families, children, ourselves, and all the untold LGBTQ stories. We will fight these bills discriminating against our families, and even if we fail this year we will fight to keep our dreams alive.”

Related: In 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled a 1960s-era federal law against employment discrimination applies to them and they cannot be fired because of their sexual orientation.

Speakers at today’s rally included:

Rep. Jennifer Konfrst, House Democratic Leader
Kalyani, Cedar Falls
Senator Janet Petersen, Des Moines
Bekah Schurz, student
Stacy Schmidt, teacher, ISEA member, Chairperson of ISEA LGBTQ+ Task Force
Aime Wichtendahl, Iowa’s first transgender elected official, Hiawatha City Councilperson
Chris Schwartz, LGBTQ community leader; Supervisor, Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors
Dr. Kaaren Olesen, OB/GYN
Dr. Jennifer Harvey, parent
Sofia Bristow, IowaWTF leader, Fort Dodge
Jemma Bullock, IowaWTF cofounder, Ankeny
David Lee, IowaWTF cofounder, Ames
Emma Mitchell, Iowa Queer Student Alliance Founder
Brigit Stevens, community leader

Organizations participating in Sunday’s rally include:

One Iowa Action
Iowa Safe Schools
Interfaith Alliance of Iowa Action Fund
ISEA LGBTQ+ Task Force
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Iowa
Progress Iowa
Des Moines Education Association
Central Iowa Rainbow Families
Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Americans for Democratic Action Iowa
Episcopal Diocese of Iowa
Downtown Disciples Church
Corridor Community Action Network
Des Moines Pride Center
League of Women Voters of Iowa
New Beginnings Christian Church, Urbandale
Plymouth Church, Des Moines
Walnut Hills United Methodist Church
Wesley Center, Iowa City
Lamoni Heartland Mission Center, Community of Christ
Capitol Hill Lutheran Church, Des Moines
Common Good Iowa
Iowa Unitarian Universalist Witness & Advocacy Network
Peoples UU Church, Cedar Rapids
Crossroads UCC, Indianola
Trinity Las Americas UMC
Reconciling Task Force, First United Methodist Church, Des Moines
St. Paul’s Episcopal, Grinnell
Des Moines Intentional Eucharistic Community
Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers
Room for All
First Unitarian Church, Des Moines
Iowa Abortion Access Fund
Iowa Trans Mutual Aid Fund
Ankeny Pride
Heartland Presbyterian Church, Clive
Valley UMC Equity & Justice Team, West Des Moines
Cedar Valley Pridefest
ACLU of Iowa
Metropolitan Community Church of the Quad Cities
Unity of Ames
Indivisible Iowa
Cedar Valley Reproductive Justice
Southwest Iowa Indivisible
Rising Phoenix Wellness Center, Urbandale
St John’s Lutheran, Des Moines
SURJ Chapter, Des Moines

(PHOTO via Progress Iowa)

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