By Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch<\/p>\n
Advocates and LGBTQ Iowans said conversion therapy \u2014 an overwhelmingly disavowed practice to try to change an LGBTQ+ person\u2019s gender or sexual orientation \u2014 would be legalized by a bill moved forward on Feb. 9 by an Iowa House subcommittee.<\/p>\n
House Study Bill 669 would amend Iowa Code to exempt issues related to a parent\u2019s response to their child\u2019s gender dysphoria from \u201cchild abuse\u201d and \u201cchild endangerment\u201d definitions \u2014 in addition to adding these carveouts in state law about considerations of foster parent licensing, adoptive parents and custody during divorce proceedings.<\/p>\n
The bill states that a parent cannot be deemed abusive or exempt from consideration based on their \u201cintent to raise, guide or instruct a child in a manner consistent with the child\u2019s sex.\u201d The bill lays out several specific actions that cannot be defined as abuse or preclude individuals from parental arrangements, such as refusing to refer to a child by a name or pronouns that differ from their assigned sex at birth, or not consenting to a child receiving gender-affirming medical care.<\/p>\n
But most opponents to the measure said their main concern was the inclusion of language that \u201cseeking and consenting to a mental health service for a child for the purpose of helping the child live a life consistent with the child\u2019s sex\u201d is not child abuse, or a reason why a person should not be considered as an adoptive or foster parent.<\/p>\n
Many of the speakers at the meeting said this language would allow parents to pursue \u201cconversion therapy\u201d for their child, if that child expresses gender dysphoria or a gender identity that does not align with their sex at birth. Conversion therapy refers to discredited psychological, behavioral or physical treatments intended to alter a person\u2019s gender identity or sexual orientation, targeting LGBTQ+ individuals.<\/p>\n
Many major medical organizations, including the American Medical Association, American Psychological Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics have issued statements against conversion therapy, saying the assumption that gender identity and sexual orientation can or should be changed is not supported by medical and scientific evidence. Instead, groups like the AMA have stated these interventions often lead to worse mental health outcomes and trauma for the individuals subjected to these practices.<\/p>\n
Keenan Crow with One Iowa, said conversion therapy is \u201ctorture.\u201d Since the bill was publicized, Crow said One Iowa, an LGBTQ advocacy organization, has received countless emails from Iowans detailing their \u201chorrific\u201d experiences with conversion therapy, which include institutionalization and electroshock therapy.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t care what kind of language we couch this in,\u201d Crow said. \u201cI don\u2019t care what the motivation is. I just know that this is a procedure noted by every major medical and mental health organization to cause increased rates of depression, anxiety, homelessness and suicide, and that is horrific. I can\u2019t believe we are even having this conversation, and I ask you to vote no, and rather than enabling this kind of torture, bring a bill to restrict its use across this state.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to the nonprofit Movement Advancement Project, 23 states and the District of Columbia currently have bans on conversion therapy for minors.<\/p>\n
But supporters of the bill said the measure was necessary to ensure Christian parents were not discriminated against or labeled as abusers for raising their children in accordance with their sincerely held beliefs. Chuck Hurley with the Family Leader said the bill was needed because Iowa would face a larger shortage of prospective foster and adoptive parents if these individuals are required to affirm a child\u2019s gender identity, including if they want to transition.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy wife and I have had about 15 foster kids, 10 of which were long term, six months to 13 years, we\u2019ve adopted a couple of special needs kids,\u201d Hurley said. \u201cAnd I\u2019m not saying that we\u2019re all that. I\u2019m just saying that we would not have been foster parents if Iowa would have had these requirements. And to diminish the pool of prospective foster parents, when there\u2019s 3,700 kids in foster care, is the exact opposite of what we want to do as a state.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the meeting progressed, protesters demonstrated in the halls of the Iowa Capitol shouting \u201clove not hate\u201d and \u201ctrans rights are human rights.\u201d Rep. Steve Holt, R-Denison, said opponents to the measure were attempting to use a \u201checkler\u2019s veto,\u201d by demonstrating in order to \u201ctry to drown out those who disagree with them.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fact of the matter is, I will do my job and stand for truth, and this legislation absolutely stands for truth, so I will be signing on to advance it to the full committee,\u201d Holt said.<\/p>\n
Rep. Jon Dunwell, R-Newton, also signed off on the measure, saying it protects the rights of parents \u201cwho believe that gender is determined by biology.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rep. Aime Wichtendahl, D-Hiawatha, said the measure was another attempt from Republicans to target transgender Iowans, referencing the 2025 law removing gender identity from protections under the state Civil Rights Act. Wichtendahl, the first transgender Iowan elected to the Legislature, said while Republicans argue the measure is needed to protect parental rights, there are no provisions currently in Iowa law requiring a parent\u2019s consent to their child receiving gender-affirming treatment.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnder current Iowa law, no parent is required to affirm their children\u2019s gender identity or support of treatment plan for the same, but parental rights are being used as a cudgel to enable harm upon children in the name of making them straight,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The measure will next be considered by the full House Judiciary Committee.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Read more from Opsahl online at IowaCapitalDispatch.com<\/p>\n \u00a9Copyright 2026, Iowa Capital Dispatch. Published under a Creative Commons license, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Read more at iowacapitaldispatch.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch Advocates and LGBTQ Iowans said conversion therapy \u2014 an overwhelmingly disavowed practice to try to change an LGBTQ+ person\u2019s gender or sexual orientation \u2014 would be legalized by a bill moved forward on Feb. 9 by an Iowa House subcommittee. House Study Bill 669<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18193,"featured_media":3774,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3773","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ia-news","category-news",""],"yoast_head":"\n