Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill that strikes gender identity from Iowa law, making the state the first to remove civil rights from a previously protected class.

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 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.