Today's story is written by The Rev. Cn. Meg Wagner, Canon to the Ordinary,
The Episcopal Diocese of Iowa. She graduated Episcopal Divinity School in 2015.

Through our diocesan partnerships with Interfaith Alliance of Iowa and One Iowa, the Diocese of Iowa had been alerted that a bill aimed at erasing gender Identity from the Iowa Civil Rights code would be proposed again this legislative session.

The final version of the bill that was passed was even more devastating than we expected - SF418. It not only has wide-ranging impacts on protections from discrimination in housing, education and more but also erases the phrase “gender identity” in educational contexts and replaces it with the phrase “gender theory,” prohibiting instruction about so-called “gender theory” in schools from kindergarten through sixth grade. It defines “sex” as “the state of being either male or female as observed or clinically verified at birth”, makes it so that can never be changed, and that legal documents must reflect that.

Skylar from St. Luke’s, Cedar Falls giving testimonyThe Diocese of Iowa has 3 volunteer lobbyists registered with the state who keep us informed about bills our legislators are working on that address areas that General Convention or our diocese has official positions on. They register opinions on behalf of the diocese, testify at committee hearings, and organize a yearly “Episcopal Day on the Hill” where Episcopalians from across the state come and learn how the legislative process works and have the opportunity to speak with their representatives on the issues they care about.

This particular bill moved incredibly fast through the process - one week from introduction to passing, and our lobbyists got word out through our diocesan Facebook group, Faith in Action and our diocesan facebook page. Bishop Monnot testified at subcommittees and at the public hearing that was held on Thursday, Feb 27. Transgender members from our churches also testified at several hearings.

Despite only really having about a day and a half notice, I saw over 25 members from at least 11 of our churches at what they are calling the largest protest within the capitol building. Over 2,500 Iowans showed up on Thursday, February 27 to protest the bill. Episcopal clergy joined leaders of other denominations in two lines of locked arms keeping a calm and physical distance between the heavy Iowa State trooper presence and the protestors. We prayed, we sang. And everywhere we went folks thanked us for being present and bearing a Christian witness against what was happening.

The Congregation of St. Andrew's Des Moines at the State HouseAnd we stayed to witness as it ended up passing both houses in simultaneous “debate” meant to divide the crowd’s attention. Other than the bill’s proposer, no republican spoke in favor of the bill, and in fact it was revealed later the Republican senators had a bingo game they were playing mocking the Democrats who spoke against it. All Democrats voted against and all but five Republican House members voted for the bill (even after extreme pressure and threats from their leadership). Afterwards we stayed and provided what pastoral care we could to the remaining devastated and angry protestors and some of the legislators who had really tried their best. The governor signed it into law on Friday.
There will undoubtedly be efforts to stop it in the courts, but there is no telling the damage that has been and will be caused in the meantime. Many of our clergy at services this weekend encountered people angry and sad that it had passed, but also undeterred that our place is to stand where Jesus stood, with the marginalized. The diocese remains committed to working with Interfaith Alliance of Iowa and other partners to fight for the worth and dignity of our trans and genderqueer neighbors, friends and family.
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As Bishop Monnot posted the next day, “In Iowa, we are grieving yesterday’s vote to remove gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights code. Transgender and genderqueer Iowans, you are beautifully and wonderfully made in God’s image, and God does not make mistakes. I see you, I love you, and I will fight for your right to be free to be the person God made you to be.” And lots of Iowa Episcopalians will be there with her.
Blessings,
Meg+
Pronouns: she/her/hers (why pronouns matter)

"God created you from dust and to God you shall return." I'm sure those aren't exactly the right words, but it is what I say to parishioners and visitors alike as I place slightly too oily ashes on their foreheads or hands.

Growing up, Lent was a Catholic thing, by which I mean everyone in our community was engaged. The three protestants in my elementary school classroom showed up on-time on Ash Wednesday, and we waited for our ash marked friends to show up after church. Our cafeteria served meatless lunches. I knew that Lent was about fasting although we called it "giving up for Lent."

What I didn't know was that Lent has three penitent activities: prayer, fasting, and charity. Interesting that I didn't know the charity component! (Although I remember now that my church's "Bunnies for Bolivia" fundraising was during Lent.) What is really interesting is that in 1966 Pope Paul VI in chapter III of the Apostolic Constitution, changed the approach to fasting. Where economic well-being is prominent, the pope writes that the church witness of asceticism is important. Where people live in poverty, however "it will be more pleasing to God the Father and more useful to the members of the Body of Christ if Christians—while they seek in every way to promote better social justice—offer their suffering in prayer to the Lord in close union with the Cross of Christ."

Essentially, everyone engages in prayer, but people with excess should practice Lent with asceticism and charity, while those without enough should simply offer the suffering they already experience as their penitence. And that everyone should, as part of their Lenten practice, “promote better social justice.”

I encourage congregations to focus on what they can do for justice during this Lenten season. Instead of giving something up, consider doing one action every day to protect people who are trans, to protect people who are immigrants, or to protect the environment. Choose something that helps maintain our social safety net. Imagine that your act of penitence this season could be to protect the people in our nation.

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