Good news out of Iowa. The Associated Press has reported that Polk county Judge Robert Hanson has rule against Iowa’s same sex marriage ban. He deemed the ban unconstitutional, claiming it violated “the state contitution’s equal protection and due-process clauses.” The judge has called for the state marriage ban to be stricken and nullified and has said the marriage laws “must be read and applied in a gender neutral manner so as to permit same-sex couples to enter into a civil marriage…” Read the whole article, from The Des Moines Register:
Opponents of same sex marriage are stepping up efforts to fight the judge’s ruling. They will take it to the Iowa Supreme Court and, if they fail there, it will probably be taken to the U.S. Supreme Court. Meanwhile, opponents are also seeking a stay on the ruling, which would prevent same sex couples from marrying until after the appeal process has finished.
Still, earlier today, Rev. Mark Stringer married Sean Fritz and Tim McQuillan, making them the first same sex couple to be married in Iowa. Read that whole story, from The Gazette Online:
Now, Iowa’s same sex marriage ban was not a constitutional amendment, like the one passed in Ohio. So that will likely be the next step from opponents of same sex marriage in Iowa. Hopefully it doesn’t pass. And hopefully, Judge Hanson’s ruling stands up to the appeals. And maybe that will be the crack needed to break down the dam of the same sex marriage bans across the country.
Only time will tell.
Filed under: Gay Rights, News, Politics, Same Sex Marriage
