Republican State Rep. Austin Harris indicated on Twitter he would oppose House Republicans as the caucus considers removing gender identity as a protected class. The bill, House Study Bill 242, was officially released on Thursday.
Harris wrote:
“I will oppose stripping Iowans of their civil rights protections with every fiber of my being.”
In 2007, Iowa lawmakers added sexual orientation and gender identity to the civil rights code. Iowa is just one of two “red” states with such protections. The other is Utah.
The consequences of providing special protections based on “gender identity” have increased in recent years. At the Pella pool, a teenage girl was allowed to go topless because she identified as a boy. At the Forest City YMCA, staff quit and women were forced to either stop using the female facilities or share the female facilities with a man who identified as a woman.
Additionally, an Iowa court ruled the state must pay for sex changes due to gender identity being a protected class in 2019. Teachers kept “preferred pronouns” of students secret from parents in some Iowa districts. Males used the female restrooms in Iowa schools.
The list could continue.
Harris served the Republican Party as a regional political director, a state data director and eventually as political director until managing Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks’ congressional campaign. Harris then served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Miller-Meeks.
Now he serves in Iowa House District 26.
When Hillary Clinton celebrated Donald J. Trump being kicked off Twitter, Harris reacted by “liking” the post.
Harris shared this photo with a three-heart reaction:
Who voted for this Dude? This dude needs to go! Our Republicans party DOES NOT need another RINO!!!! The Republicans have enough RINOS!!! INSANITY!!!