The Iowa Hawkeyes women’s basketball team continues their NCAA Tournament run tomorrow at 2:30 p.m., when they play No. 5 Colorado in the Sweet Sixteen.

Speaking of: Go vote for the Naismith Fan Vote award for Caitlin Clark and coach Lisa Bluder (and ISU coach T.J. Otzelberger) here.

It’s Friday, Mar. 29, 2024.

Hey folks, it’s Amie.

We talk a lot in this newsletter about the dumb, idiotic things happening in our state. Today, let’s at least start with celebrating each other and finding joy.

Specifically, let’s celebrate those who are scapegoated, picked on, and demonized by those in power.

Trans folks aren’t new. Just like the wider LGBTQ community, they’ve always existed, but simply weren’t able to live as fully and authentically as they would have liked—as doing so could have cost them their lives or freedom.

Some folks would like to keep trans people in Iowa in that space: closeted and afraid, beholden to a single, restrictive, religious interpretation of gender and relationship roles between consenting adults. It’s important that all of us push back on that.

But it’s equally important to take the time to simply appreciate and celebrate the positive and creative achievements of the trans and nonbinary folks in our lives.

In celebration of Transgender Day of Visibility this Sunday, if you’re near Des Moines or Iowa City, check out one of these events to do just that. (And, if you’re looking for a trans-inclusive haircut next week, or want to sign up your salon for that, check that out here.)

Sunday is also National Farm Workers Day.

Farm workers are largely immigrants, another population the Iowa Legislature saw fit to pick on this year. That’s despite them being hardworking (and tax-paying) folks who—like all of our own immigrant ancestors—came here for a better life and a fair shake at achieving it.

But the legislature may have gone too far this time:

Immigrant rights organization Escucha Mi Voz has warned of a Day Without an Immigrant strike this summer if Gov. Kim Reynolds signs an especially egregious bill that folks have said strikes fear into their communities.

If they do strike, I suspect a whole lot more of us will realize just how much these Iowans matter, as well as the ways they contribute to making our communities better.

That, I think, is the point behind holidays like Transgender Day of Visibility and National Farm Workers Day: Seeing folks who are different from us not as separate, but as unique and necessary parts of our community.

That’s my philosophy, anyway. Tell me yours. Or tell me another thing Starting Line should be lifting up in our newsletters!

Amie Rivers

Community Editor, Iowa Starting Line

Email me

Question of the Week 🤧

Last week, we talked about how Des Moines is a Top 10 allergy capital (mostly due to our abysmal ratio of doctors to patients, not necessarily more allergens floating around).

But that got us wondering: What’s everyone allergic to? (Loving everyone’s troll answers!)

Gov. Reynolds signs AEA bill ‘that no one really likes’

In recent years, it has been rare for Iowa Republicans in the legislature to vote against Gov. Kim Reynolds’ proposals, let alone speak out publicly against them.

But Sen. Charlie McClintock didn’t hold back during the Iowa Senate’s latest Area Education Agency (AEA) debate. (Here’s what an AEA does.)

“Based on the content and input that I’ve received, I can say that no one really likes this bill,” said McClintock, a Republican from Alburnett. (Watch his remarks here.)

“The very idea of dismantling and defunding the Area Education Agencies has upset and offended the people in Iowa to a whole ‘nother level.”

Here’s why even some Republicans aren’t on board with this new law.

During the Iowa House floor debate on the AEA overhaul bill, Rep. Timi Brown-Powers (D-Waterloo) told House Republicans that she would have worked with them to stand up against Senate Republicans on teacher pay and the AEA bill.

Watch more videos of legislators mad at the AEA bill here!

Catch Up Quick 🏃

Iowa City closing an elementary school, blames underfunding from state

As cancer rates rise, Iowa could make it illegal to sue pesticide manufacturers

Birth control is the key to women’s freedom. Here’s why

Former Trump staffer one step closer to leading Iowa schools

Meet 7 women who broke barriers in the field of astronomy and beyond

🐕 Adoption Spotlight 🐈

Skylar loves to learn new things and go for walks and she’d love to do that with you. She gets along with other dogs, but would rather be the only one in the home. You can find this sweetheart at the Siouxland Humane Society.

Felix is part of a pair (meet his brother Max here!). Introverted and cuddly, they’d like a quiet home to lay around and chase toy mice. They haven’t been around kids, but adopters are welcome to bring older ones around to meet Felix and Max. You can do that at the Siouxland Humane Society.