On Wednesday, hundreds of Iowa students participated in the “We Say Gay” walkout to protest against the state’s proposed anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. Organized by Iowa WTF and the Iowa Queer Student Alliance, students at 47 schools walked out in solidarity to demand lawmakers listen to their voices. At least 29 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced during this year’s legislative session, including bills that would out trans students to their parents, ban mentions of gender identity and sexual orientation in classrooms, and a resolution that would revise the Iowa constitution to ban same-sex marriage.
Jemma Bullock, a member of the Iowa Queer Student Alliance, said that these walkouts were a way for students to make it impossible for those in power to ignore them. “There are people who come and say, ‘This is harmful. This will cause bullying, depression and anxiety and it will not be safe for the LGBTQ+ community in our schools,’” Bullock said. “And they just will not listen.”
Some students marched to the Iowa Capitol building, just over half a mile away, to chant “we say gay” and wave rainbow flags and protest signs. Meanwhile, others walked to the governor’s mansion and the Old Capitol building to speak out against the bills. These walkouts took place just one day after Republican legislators introduced a ban on transition-related care for trans youth, as well as a bill that would ban trans students from using the bathrooms that align with their gender.
Iowa is one of dozens of states that have introduced similar anti-LGBTQ+, and mainly anti-trans, bills this year. Over 400 such bills have been introduced in state legislatures across the country. Students hope that their protests and walkouts will draw attention to the harmful impacts of these bills and make lawmakers listen to their demands for equality and inclusion.