Legislative repeal, effective 1978.

In 2009, Iowa became the third state to legalize same-sex marriage. Varnum v. Brien, Supreme Court of Iowa (2009).

Prohibits talks of LGBT topics in school up to grade 6.

In order to change your legal gender in Iowa, you need to have a physician sign off that you have undergone appropriate clinical treatment in your gender transition. Although surgery to change your gender is an option, it is not required. Also, it is not explicitly stated that you need to be diagnosed with gender dysphoria in order to change your gender.

Gender affirming care is banned for minors under SF538, as of 2023. Adults are still able to get gender affirming care in Iowa, minors are defined as under 18 in this bill. Iowa doctors are subjected to prosecution if found doing gender affirming care to minors even with parental consent.

Not currently recognized.

People are protected from discrimination based upon both sexual orientation and gender identification.

State law provides for protections against employment discrimination in regards to both sexual orientation and gender identification.

This state explicitly bans housing discrimination based upon sexual orientation and gender identification.

Additionally, the Human Rights Campaign states, "The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires grantees and participants of HUD programs to comply with local and state non-discrimination laws that include sexual orientation and gender identity.
HUD also prohibits inquiries regarding the sexual orientation or gender identity of a prospective tenant or applicant for assisted
housing in every state (March 2012)."

State statute permits any unmarried individual to adopt, but any married individual is required to petition jointly per Iowa Code 600. Second-parent adoption has been approved in lower courts.

No US state has enacted a ban on surgeries that attempt to change an intersex minors sex without their consent.

President Joe Biden removed former President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender people serving in the military, and transgender people are still allowed to serve as of 2025.

In January of 2025, President Trump signed an executive order that bans transgender people from serving in the military. However, before his executive order can take effect, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth needs to submit a plan on how the military will implement the order.

The new FDA policy on blood donation eliminates deferrals and screening questions specific to men who have sex with men (MSM). Prospective donors will be asked the same set of questions regardless of their sex or sexual orientation.

Since 2015, several attempts have been made to ban the practice of conversion therapy statewide in Iowa. All efforts had failed with even the Iowa Board of Medicine and Iowa Board of Psychology declining to establish a ban, with the Iowa Board of Psychology stating it was out of their realm to challenge. The Iowa Board of Psychology did state it would process complaints if licensed psychologists warranted an investigation of some kind with concerns of conversion therapy being recommended. It is unknown if these complaints are processed adequately.

Davenport became the first city in Iowa to ban conversion therapy by minors with a vote 82 by the Davenport City Council.

The Linn County Board of Supervisors also passed a ban affecting the scope of it's unincorporated areas.

Some cities such as Des Moines Iowa repealed their bans after challenges by Christian organizations.

State law supersedes local laws and the ban is at risk of being rendered defunct if state legislatures were to nullify the legitimacy of the scope of these laws.

In 2024, a bill prohibiting local jurisdictions from passing their own conversion therapy bans was pending in the Senate.