Marriage Equality USA Press Release:
Des Moines, IA- “Today is another historic day for Iowans in our long history of equality and fairness for individual liberties. The Iowa Court has declared that the promise of ‘liberty and justice for all’ includes marriage equality for Iowans like myself and Marla who have been together for twenty-five years,” said Phyllis Stevens, Chapter Leader of Marriage Equality USA-Central Iowa, who married her wife, Marla Stevens, in Canada in 2003, and whose marriage will now be legally recognized under today’s court ruling.
The Iowa State Supreme Court Opinion concludes, “We are firmly convinced that the exclusion of gay and lesbian people from the institution of civil marriage does not substantially further any important governmental objective. The legislature has excluded a historically disfavored class of persons from a supremely important civil institution without a constitutionally sufficient justification. There is no material fact, genuinely in dispute, that can affect this determination.”
Equal protection under the Iowa Constitution “is essentially a direction that all persons similarly situated should be treated alike.”
Across the United States, Marriage Equality USA chapters will be hosting local celebrations. “Marriage equality is popping up all over, so we will celebrate with an Iowa staple…. popcorn….which we will hand out in partnership with local movie houses across the state,” said Molly McKay Media Director of Marriage Equality USA. “We are so glad to see that the value of fairness and equality for all has resonated today in America’s Heartland. The tradition of extending civil rights to all minorities continues and that is a good thing.”
“Iowa joins the growing number of states that recognize that marriage discrimination is both un-American and unconstitutional. Our country is a nation which guarantees the rights of all of its citizens to be treated equally under the law,” said Stuart Gaffney Marriage Equality USA Asian Pacific Islander Outreach Director. “Just a generation ago, my parents were legally married in California, because the California Supreme Court overturned the state’s law prohibiting interracial couples from marrying, but faced government discrimination against their marriage when they moved to Missouri and waited until 1967 for the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down the bans on interracial marriage. My husband, John, and I married in California last year, and we believe that marriage discrimination against same-sex couples will end soon, too, and that our marriage will be recognized throughout the country.”
“While we celebrate history being made in Iowa today, we must remember that federal law continues to deny all same-sex couples access to the 1,138 federal rights, benefits, and protections that come with civil marriage recognition at the federal level. The federal government continues to maintain a second class citizenry in direct violation of the equal protection guarantees contained in the U.S. Constitution.” stated Davina Kotulski, Ph.D. Author of Why You Should Give A Damn About Gay Marriage, who spoke last week about marriage equality with students from Iowa State and Drake Universities hosted by Lynn Fallon and her husband, Former State Legislator and marriage equality pioneer Ed Fallon, and the Marriage Equality USA-Central Iowa chapter. “We will not rest until there is equal justice under law for all Gay Americans.”
Oakland, California - “Today, Vermont legislators lived up to their state motto – freedom and unity – and their override of the Governor’s veto ensures that thousands of same-sex couples living in Vermont will have the freedom to marry the person they love,” said Molly McKay, Marriage Equality USA Media Director. “We know in our hearts, it is only a matter of time for America to turn its back on this history of discrimination against same-sex couples. To witness within a week the Iowa Supreme Court’s unanimous decision, followed by Vermont’s legislative stand, both in support of marriage equality gives us hope that we may be able to live our happily ever afters sooner than we think.”