Iowa became the first U.S. state to remove gender identity protections from its civil rights code on Friday when Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law a bill that opponents say will expose transgender people and other Iowans to discrimination in all aspects of daily life.

The Republican-backed bill passed both legislative chambers by large margins despite warnings from Democrats that the measure could lead to discrimination and harassment.

Iowa's Republican-controlled legislature passed a bill on Thursday that would remove protections for the transgender community even as dozens of protesters opposed the legislation.