Des Moines diocese bans preferred pronouns in schools and parishes

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The Diocese of Des Moines in Iowa has banned preferred pronouns in schools and parishes, and has ruled that students and worshipers must use the bathrooms and locker rooms of their biological sex, according to reports.

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The new rules went into effect on Monday and impact 16 schools and 80 parishes across the state, according to the Daily Mail.

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The diocese, headed by 60-year-old Bishop William M. Joensen, published the official policy document, which outlined these new rules and how the organization ultimately decided on the changes and said they were the result of “a lengthy process” aimed at addressing concerns from school and church staff surrounding students’ gender identity.

The Diocese of Des Moines’ communications director, Anne Marie Cox, confirmed Monday that all seven of the stipulations — ranging from the pronoun and locker room enforcement to the banning of gender blockers — will go into effect immediately.

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“Diocese of Des Moines codifies ostracism of transgender kids,” Celsi wrote in a Facebook post on Jan. 4 after the new rules were announced.

The Interfaith Alliance of Iow, recently ripped the policies as “dangerous,” arguing that they promote “bigotry” toward transgender Iowans.