Iowa
A national anti-LGBTQ group and a Des Moines church have filed a preemptive suit against the Iowa Civil Rights Commission over transgender rights, the Des Moines Register reports:

A conservative church in Des Moines is suing the Iowa Civil Rights Commission in federal court, contending state officials are trying to censor the church’s teachings on biblical sexuality and forcing the church to open its restrooms to members of the opposite sex.
The suit was filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Des Moines by the Fort Des Moines Church of Christ, which argues that all events held at a church on its property have a bona-fide religious purpose. The petition also says the commission has no authority to violate the First Amendment’s guarantees of freedom of religion and speech.

Meagen Taylor, a black transgender woman who was harassed by staff at a Des Moines hotel and subsequently jailed because hotel staff thought she was a sex-worker has won a settlement against the hotel, the Des Moines Register reports:

The case of a black, transgender woman who alleged she was harassed at a local hotel because of her gender identity and race has been resolved, according to an update posted on the ACLU of Iowa’s website.
“The ACLU of Iowa is pleased to report we have successfully settled Meagan Taylor’s case to the satisfaction of the parties involved,” the post read.
The ACLU declined to comment on the details of the settlement or whether or not the parties are bound by a confidentially agreement.
“We can’t provide any more information or greater detail,” said Veronica Fowler, spokeswoman for the ACLU of Iowa.
In November, Taylor filed a complaint with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission claiming the harassment occurred in July when she and a friend stopped for the night at the West Des Moines Drury Inn. The pair were traveling through Des Moines on their way from Illinois to a funeral in Kansas City.

The University of Iowa is changing over to gender-inclusive restrooms, the Gazette reports:

The University of Iowa is completing a project to make 147 gender-inclusive, single-user restrooms available throughout campus buildings.
The restrooms “allow anyone to use them, regardless of gender identity,” said Teri Schnelle, coordinator for student life assessments and initiatives. “Essentially it’s private. If you feel most comfortable using a restroom that’s just you, you can.”
Dr. Barry Schreier, director of University Counseling Services, said that the restrooms are important for many transgender students because it’s one less adjustment they have to make.
“The restrooms that are currently signed as unisex will be updated to have the new sign type for single-user restrooms,” said Adele Vanarsdale, campus planner for Facilities Management.

A major blood center in Iowa and South Dakota has changed its eligibility requirements to match the FDA’s which still effectively bans gay and bisexual men from giving blood unless they haven’t had sex with a man in the last year, Radio Iowa reports:

LifeServe Blood Center is changing its donor eligibility policy next month to comply with new FDA guidelines on blood donations from gay and bisexual men.
The FDA revised its policy last December from a complete ban to accepting donations from men who haven’t had sex with men in the past 12 months. Christine Hayes, with Des Moines-based LifeServe, says they will implement the new guidelines in early July and, despite the delay, they are happy with the change.
“We certainly are thankful that the FDA has changed their criteria and made it more science-based,” Hayes says. “We do know that unfortunately it takes a while for those processes to get completely accomplished with the federal government.” LifeServe supplies blood to about 120 hospitals in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. Hayes says there’s been a delay in implementing the new policy because blood centers must work with the FDA to update internal operations.

In Fairfield, the school district is looking at transgender-inclusive guidelines, the Fairfield Ledger reports:

Fairfield community members, parents and educators crowded into the Administration/Curriculum/Technology Center Monday evening leaving standing room only during a special school board meeting where transgender guidelines were discussed.

North Dakota
A new study on the size of the transgender population in the United States found that North Dakota’s community is among the smallest:

Twice as many U.S. adults identify as transgender than was previously thought, researchers said on Thursday, in a finding that could put pressure on lawmakers to address discrimination against transgender people.
Some 1.4 million of U.S. adults, or 0.6 percent of the country’s adult population, are thought to identify as transgender, according to a study by the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles.
The new estimate—double the group’s previous figure which was based on data from roughly 10 years ago—signals to lawmakers that demands for transgender rights will not go away, said co-author of the study Gary J. Gates.
The highest percentage of transgender people was found in traditionally liberal Hawaii and California.
In conservative North Dakota, the percentage of transgender people were half the national estimate.

Wisconsin
The Defense Department announced last week that it was lifting the ban on transgender service members. Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin praised the move:

“Today, our nation has taken another important step forward by ensuring that qualified, transgender Americans can openly serve the country they love. Breaking down this barrier is a historic action for transgender service members, who will no longer be forced to serve in silence. I applaud Secretary Carter for his leadership in taking this step to make our Armed Forces stronger and staying true to our American values of fairness and equality for all.”

LGBTQ and atheist protesters showed up at Franklin Graham’s recent rally in Madison, the Christian Times reports:

He openly preached that homosexuality is a sin and was quoted as saying that those who “continue living like this” will suffer in “the flames of hell.”
However, the tour rally was criticized for being held just a few days after the Orlando shooting on June 12, where 49 people were shot to death at the Pulse gay nightclub.
The protesters, led by atheist organization Freedom from Religion Foundation, said Graham’s words promote hatred. Annie Laurie Gaylor, FFRF co-president, also challenged Graham’s teaching that the U.S. has its roots in Christianity.
“Contrary to Franklin Graham’s hysterical claims, the LGBT community is not a threat to the United States — but his campaign to legislate religion-fostered discrimination is,” she said.
Rep. Chris Taylor, who supported the protest, said people are “appalled” by the hatred being stirred up by the principles that Graham advocates. She said the protest was meant to send a message that “discrimination, intolerance and hatred are not values we have.”
FFRF said its protest promotes the separation of church and state.
“The purpose is to make sure that the secular voice in opposition to religious fundamentalism gets heard,” the organization said on its website.