LGBT Delegates At The DNC Arena

Far left: Liz Bennett of One Iowa. Far right: Jen Rowray of Iowa's LGBT delegation. The gentleman in the middle is from Mississippi's LGBT delegation and I failed to get the details about the gal to his left. Fun group!

Iowa LGBT Group Reacts To Caucus

Via press release from One Iowa:

"This extremely close outcome shows that in spite of the millions of dollars and constant campaigning on the backs of loving, committed gay and lesbian couples in Iowa, the attempt by social conservatives to dominate the caucuses simply didn't work. Rather, this tie between Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney shows the deep divisions that exist between social conservatives who want to harm loving and committed couples, and fiscal conservatives who prioritize job creation and a smaller government. While the caucuses may be over, the debate over LGBT equality will continue in Iowa, and One Iowa and our allies will do everything possible to protect our rights and freedoms."

Happy Mother's Day From Zach Wahls

Iowa House Bans All Gay Unions

By a GOP-led vote of 62-37, today the Iowa House voted to strip all legal recognitions for LGBT couples.

If passed through both legislative bodies in two consecutive General Assemblies, the issue could be on the ballot as soon as 2013. “The proposed amendment devalues families and divides Iowans,” said One Iowa Executive Director Carolyn Jenison. “The Constitution is meant to protect the freedoms and liberties of all Iowans. It is inappropriate to use the political process to single out and deny a group of Iowans of their constitutional protections.” “This goes beyond politics,” said Iowa City resident Katie Imborek. “This is about our family and the ability for Paula and me to care for one another and our two children. At a time when so many Iowans are struggling just to make ends meet, I don’t understand why legislators would choose to take up this issue.”

The only person standing between the national anti-gay groups and fairness is Iowa Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal (D), who has vowed not to allow the issue to come up for a vote. However Democrats maintain only a slim two vote majority in the state Senate and should a vote somehow be forced, it's unclear what the result might be.

DOMA Ruling Reactions

GLAD:

“Today the Court simply affirmed that our country won’t tolerate second-class marriages,” said Mary Bonauto, GLAD’s Civil Rights Project Director, who argued the case. “I’m pleased that Judge Tauro recognized that married same-sex couples and surviving spouses have been seriously harmed by DOMA and that the plaintiffs deserve the same opportunities to care and provide for each other and for their children that other families enjoy. This ruling will make a real difference for countless families in Massachusetts.” “I am thrilled that my family will now be treated in the same way as those of my married co-workers at the post office,” said Nancy Gill, who is a plaintiff with her spouse, Marcelle Letourneau. “Marcelle and I married out of love and commitment to each other first and foremost, but federal recognition of our marriage means that we’ll have equal access to important protections for our two children and for ourselves.”

Lambda Legal:

"Today's decisions mark immensely important and inspiring steps toward equality for all families under American law. Since 1996, the so-called 'Defense of Marriage Act' has defended no one, while imposing senseless and cruel discrimination against married same-sex couples and their families. We applaud Judge Tauro's conclusion today that Congress acted beyond its authority when it used the massive power of the federal government to impose a discriminatory marriage definition on the states. With today's decisions, the federal court orders that the heavy hand of the U.S. government must be lifted off the scales of justice, so all legally married people - gay and straight alike - can receive the same treatment under U.S. law and in federal benefit programs. We applaud the outstanding work of our colleagues at GLAD and the vision of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that went to court to defend married same-sex couples in their state, and the courage of the plaintiffs in Gill for standing up for justice."

Human Rights Campaign:

"Today’s decision is a confirmation of what every lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender American knows to be a basic truth – we, and our families, are equal,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “This is an important step forward, but there is a long path ahead before we see this discriminatory law consigned to the dustbin of history. We thank our friends at Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, their courageous plaintiffs and Attorney General Coakley for standing up on behalf of married same-sex couples across the country and for their continued commitment to equality as these cases move forward. Judge Tauro’s decisions make clear that there is no constitutional justification for DOMA, despite the Department of Justice’s contentions in defending the statute. While we expect the Department to continue to defend DOMA on appeal, we urge the Obama administration to push Congress to repeal a law that we know, and Judge Tauro recognized, serves no purpose but to denigrate our families.”

One Iowa:

“This ruling is welcome news to married couples in Iowa. Section 3 of DOMA has unfairly denied federal-level protections to committed, married same-sex couples in states like Iowa. We excitedly await the day when our federal government treats us equally in the same manner as we are treated by the state of Iowa. Today’s decision brings us one step closer.”

Freedom To Marry:

Today's ruling affirms what we have long known: federal discrimination enacted under DOMA is unconstitutional. The decision will be appealed and litigation will continue. But what we witnessed in the courtroom cannot be erased: federal marriage discrimination harms committed same-sex couples and their families for no good reason. Today's ruling provides increased momentum to the national movement to end exclusion from marriage and Freedom to Marry's Roadmap to secure the freedom to marry nationwide. The crucial work of changing hearts and minds and winning the freedom to marry in more states is more urgent than ever as we build on today's momentum and encourage other decision-makers to do the right thing and end exclusion from marriage.

Happy Pride From Slaggie Gilamonster

From the LGBT rights group One Iowa:

Maggie Gallagher of the National Organization for Marriage has a special message to Iowans: "We're Here, We're NOT Queer; Get Used to It." She claims she was only joking, but she's DEAD SERIOUS about taking away the freedom to marry in Iowa. We just found out that NOM's "Summer for Marriage" Tour will be rolling through Iowa in the beginning of August to spread their message of hate and misinformation. One Iowa will be there to counter their message. Don't let Iowa become the butt of Maggie Gallagher's bad jokes! WATCH THE VIDEO FOR YOURSELF AND DONATE TODAY TO PROTECT MARRIAGE IN IOWA!

One Iowa Vs One Iowa

OneIowa.org is the site for Iowa's long-running LGBT rights organization. But they apparently failed to also reserve the .com extension of their name and the Christianists have jumped on it.

Recently, the a “.COM” website was created (www.OneIowa.COM), but with a completely different agenda. The new site includes socially conservative content about several issues: protecting gun rights, restricting abortion, maintaining “sovereignty” (actually, just promoting numerous Iowa “Tea Parties”), supporting right-to-work laws, and—predictably—providing “We the People” of Iowa the opportunity to vote for an amendment taking away the rights and securities of legal civil marriage from committed same-sex couples.

The “marriage” page on the “.COM” site includes a link to the Iowa Family Policy Center’s LUV Iowa website, which is actively pursuing an amendment to Iowa’s Constitution that would read: “Marriage between one man and one woman shall be the only legal union valid or recognized in this state.” An amendment with this wording would not only invalidate the hundreds of legal marriages that have been recognized in Iowa since April 27, 2009, but would also restrict civil unions.

Iowa Family Council: Why Should The Elderly Or Infertile Get Married Anyway?

When confronted by an audience member about his position that opposite marriage must be preserved in order to produce children, the spokesman for the Iowa Family Policy Council said about the elderly and infertile, "One might ask, why are you getting a marriage license anyway?" One Iowa responds below.

Iowa: NOM's Ad For Stephen Burgmeier

Bookended with commentary from One Iowa....

Preserving Marriage Equality In Iowa

Anti-gay haters in Iowa are trying every trick in the book to overturn marriage equality. Here's how One Iowa is responding. Contribute to keeping this ad on Iowa's airwaves here.