Legislation and Grinnell College Values

Dear Grinnellians,

Yesterday, the Iowa Senate passed Senate File 538, which prohibits physicians from providing gender-affirming healthcare to transgender individuals under the age of 18. Senate File 482, which prohibits transgender and non-binary students in K-12 public and private schools from school bathrooms that are not designated for their biological sex assigned at birth, has also passed the senate.

This legislation affronts our values as a college and as a community. Members of our community have protested this legislation at the state capitol, a right that we strongly support.

Healthcare is a human right. Denying age-appropriate, medically necessary care for transgender and non-binary individuals under the age of 18 ignores research that demonstrates that this care has a measurable positive impact on well-being and thriving.  This legislation goes against the positions outlined by credible, well-respected medical associations such as the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Public Health Association. In many cases, this care is lifesaving.

Likewise, denying appropriate access to facilities for transgender and non-binary individuals under the age of 18 is a direct challenge to students’ ability to pursue their education without fear of discrimination while at school.

Grinnell College stands by our nondiscrimination policy, which explicitly prohibits discrimination based on sex, gender, gender identity or gender expression in access to and participation in our educational programs, services, and activities. This policy complies with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. The College’s Hate Crimes and Bias-Motivated Incidents Policy provides resources for students to report discrimination and receive support and links to the policies that protect faculty and staff.

Grinnellians value the contributions and honor the identity of each member of our community – both here on campus and around the globe. As an institution, we support the rights of transgender and non-binary community members. We recognize that transition-related or gender-affirming care looks different for every transgender or non-binary person. Each person should have the right to use bathroom and locker room facilities without fear of discrimination. Each person should have the agency to consult with healthcare professionals and make informed decisions about their own care. In Iowa, these decisions have been made by individuals under 18 in consultation with their parents, guardians, or caregivers (as is the case with all medical care provided to minors). This legislation strips away those rights.

Through interactions with legislators, coalition leading and building work, legislative action, and protest, Grinnellians have advocated for the dignity and agency of transgender individuals and their families throughout this country. Those civic actions and expertise will benefit the work ahead in the state of Iowa.

We recognize that our community will need time and support to process and respond to this legislation. Below, you will find some resources that may be helpful during this time. I thank the staff from the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion working with the Stonewall Resource Center, and all faculty, staff, students, and alumni reaching out to each other. The College is actively reviewing additional actions that may be taken to provide support to transgender and non-binary faculty and staff and their families. 

Grinnellians will continue to support fellow LGBTQIA+ Grinnellians and their right to live out their identity to the fullest.

With Thanks,

Anne F. Harris
President

Support Resources: 

• The College’s Stonewall Resource Center (SRC) serves Grinnell’s student LGBTQIA+ communities and allies. The SRC seeks to affirm and uplift LGBTQIA+ student experiences, encourage individual identity development, and foster an inclusive community through programming, dialogue, and identity affirming resources. 

• The National Center for Transgender Equality website has excellent information about “Supporting the Transgender People in Your Life: A Guide to Being a Good Ally,” which you may wish to review and share. 

Resources for students: 

• The Stonewall Resource Center <srcenter@grinnell.edu>, is open from 8 a.m. to midnight with p-Card access. 

• Intercultural Affairs <ica@grinnell.edu>. 

• CRSSJ <crssj@grinnell.edu> 

• If you Need to Talk (emergency counseling support) you can call 641-269-4404 and reach a counselor all hours of the day and night. 

• You can access virtual counseling through Virtual Care Group 

• Access our SHAW counselors by calling 641-269-3230. 

• Call 641-269-4600 to reach Campus Safety for on-call staff support from the Division of Student Affairs 

Resources for Faculty and Staff: 

• Counseling support is available through Employee and Family Resources.    

• University of Iowa Telepsychology Training Clinic (TPTC) is open to employees Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Counseling appointments can be scheduled by calling and leaving a voicemail at 319-535-0437 or email scheduling@uitptc.com.   

• Vice President for Human Resources (Mears Cottage, 1213 6th Avenue) Jana Grimes, 641-269-4818 or grimesjana@grinnell.edu