Iowa lawmakers became the first in the nation to approve legislation removing gender identity protections from the state’s civil rights code Thursday, despite massive protests by opponents who say it could expose transgender people to discrimination in numerous areas of life.

After a week at the Iowa Capitol of protests and policy being advanced to remove ‘gender identity’ as a protected class in the state’s civil rights code, Iowa Republicans look to vote the bill through both chambers.

Passions ran strong during Thursday's protests against a bill opponents say takes away basic human rights for people in Iowa, especially the transgender and int