Watch out, Iowa

A Public Accommodations Provider’s Guide to Iowa Law pamphlet describes "Iowa Law...Effective July 1, 2007, the Iowa Civil Rights Act (Iowa Code Chapter 216) was expanded to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of protected classes." In this pamphlet the state of Iowa asserts itself into the topic of religion, allowing itself to determine what is a "bona fide" religious purpose. Explaining whether churches must follow the code on gender discrimination and such like, they write, "Where qualifications are not related to a bona fide religious purpose, churches are still subject to the law’s provisions. (e.g. a child care facility operated at a church or a church service open to the public)." Seriously? A church service that is open to the public is not a bona fide religious purpose?

See also:
Iowa Bureaucrats Force Trans Bathrooms On Churches, Forbid Non-PC Preaching -- "The American philosopher John Rawls...insisted people could not be free if other people refused to make them feel nice."

 

Jerome, could you check that link. When I tried it I got "page not found".

Also, do you know whether the original did not accurately reflect the code, or whether they just didn't like the way the pamphlet presents it and want to deflect objections?

It would be nice to find the actual code, but I haven't located it yet.

 

I found Iowa Code 216.7 UNFAIR PRACTICES -- ACCOMMODATIONS OR SERVICES.

The code does not say exactly what the pamphlet says, either before or after the revisions. The pamphlet reflects someone's interpretation and explanation of what the code means. Section 2a says the code does not apply to a "bona fide" religious institution related to a "bona fide" religious purpose. It does leave room for possibility of the state to stepping in to decide what are "bona fide" religions engaged in "bona fide" purposes.

 

Got the right link for the new revision:
https://icrc.iowa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/2016/2016.sogi_.pa1_.pdf