Hundreds of students marched out of classrooms across Iowa on Wednesday as part of a “We Say Gay” protest against legislation targeting LGBTQ children.

Activists say that over 40 schools from the state participated in the protest. 

In the state’s capital, Des Moines, over 400 students marched to the governor’s mansion chanting “We say gay” and “Trans rights are human rights.”

The statewide protest is in response to Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds’ parental choice agenda that focuses on LGBTQ issues in schools.

Iowa Republicans have recently introduced bills that would require parental consent for their child to change pronouns at school, ban puberty blockers or hormone therapy for children and prohibit teaching about gender identity before sixth grade. 

Students and activists say forcing teachers to inform parents about LGBTQ children puts kids at risk. 

“Any person knows if your parent doesn’t agree with what you are, life is not going to be easy for you. … We’re just trying to make it easier for all of those students,” Des Moines’ East High School senior Dayton Fleenor told The Des Moines Register. 

Limiting when teachers can discuss gender identity is similar to the Don’t Say Gay bill passed in Florida last year following the trend of bills that target LGBTQ education.

The focus, Republican representatives say, is to give power back to the parents. 

“Parents are the decision makers for their children. I think it’s so sad that we have to codify that in today’s environment, but the fact of the matter is we have to,” Mrs. Reynolds told the CATO institute. 

Conservative lawmakers have also targeted the ability of LGBTQ youths to medically transition to the opposite gender. Iowa Republicans say bills that bar children from medically transitioning are common sense.

“These individuals are youths,” Iowa state Sen. Jeff Edler, Republican, said last week. “What they’re feeling today may not be what they’re feeling when they’re 18 or older.”

Despite their concerns, medical professionals testified to the necessity of “gender-affirming care” for transgender youths. 

“I probably worry most that my patients who already started down this path who are minors, that this would be really devastating for them.” Dr. Katie Imborek, co-director of the University of Iowa LGBTQ+ Clinic, told lawmakers last week.

• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.