A bill that made it through the first funnel week in the Iowa Legislature would require students to use certain bathroom facilities in public schools.

House District 47 Representative Carter Nordman (R-Panora) supports the House bill that would only allow students in public schools to use bathrooms and locker rooms with the gender that is assigned to their birth certificate. He talks about if there’s been previous issues brought up as to the reason for this kind of legislation.

“There have been some instances where some females may feel uncomfortable with biological male using the same facilities as them. So we have to take a look at the whole picture here and I don’t think it’s appropriate for a biological male to be using the same facilities as a biological female or let alone changing in the same locker room as them. So I think this is a common sense bill.”

Nordman points out he had a conversation with a former teacher within a school district in House District 47 about this same issue, but refused to go into any more detail. 

“To add to that, I don’t think anyone should be bullied, I don’t think anyone should feel unwelcomed. But again, we have to have these conversations about: Should a biological male be using a female’s restroom, I just don’t think they should be.”   

Opposition to the bill say this is another attack on the LGBTQ+ community.  Nordman adds the legislation passed out of committee and is ready to be considered by the full House.