Iowa's governor signed legislation removing gender identity protections on Friday from the state's civil rights code, despite large, intense protests.

If signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds, the Republican-backed measure would eliminate state civil rights protections for transgender Iowans.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill into law Friday that removes gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights Act.

Iowa became the first state to strike anti-discrimination protections for transgender people from its civil rights code on Friday after the state’s Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds signed hotly

Iowa’s Republican-controlled state legislature passed a bill on Thursday that would remove gender identity as a protected class in the state’s civil rights code. Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds is expected as soon as Thursday evening to sign the bill into law,

Here's how Iowa House and Senate lawmakers voted Thursday on a bill removing gender identity as a protected class in the Iowa Civil Rights Act.

The Republican-backed bill passed both legislative chambers by large margins despite warnings from Democrats that the measure could lead to discrimination and harassment.

Iowa has become the first state to remove civil rights protections for transgender people. Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the bill Friday, just a week after it was introduced in the state Legislature. The law takes effect in July and is already facing pushback.

Advocates for L.G.B.T.Q. rights said Iowa would become the first state to remove broad protections for transgender people if the governor signed the bill.