Iowa Upholds Gay Marriage

Iowa's same-sex marriage ruling stirs California debate Mercury News — Same-sex marriage advocates in California crowed Friday as the Iowa Supreme Court overturned that state's law banning the practice. But as those advocates argued the Iowa ruling's language shores up their California case, same-sex marriage opponents argued the cases are apples and oranges. "It's obviously not relevant to the current California case," said Andy Pugno, general counsel for the Yes on Proposition 8 campaign. click to read complete article

A Gay Marriage Tipping Point? CBS News — The decision by the Iowa Supreme Court to overturn that state's gay marriage ban is prompting questions about whether or not the battle over gay marriage, long a central focus in the culture war, has reached a tipping point in American culture. Iowa, as gay marriage backers like to point out, is not a liberal, coastal state like Massachusetts and Connecticut – the two states that already offer legal gay marriage – or California, where the narrow passage of a ballot initiative banning gay marriage last year galvanized the gay rights movement. click to read complete article

Iowa in no hurry to embrace gay-friendly status Victoria Advocate — Iowa tourism officials don't have immediate plans to market the state as a gay-friendly destination despite its new status as the Midwest's only state with legalized same-sex marriage. The Iowa Supreme Court ruled last Friday that the state's ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional, and beginning April 24 same-sex couples can be wed in the state. Iowa has no residency requirement, so people from elsewhere can travel to the state to be married. click to read complete article