Last night Ami, Frances, and I went to a tabling and networking event for LGBT people in Iowa City. It was hosted by a group called Connections. While we were there we met a number of married same-sex couples.

People at the event were warm and welcoming, and all very proud of their home state. As Janelle Rettig, a married lesbian running for a County Supervisor seat in 2010, told us, “I know that when they heard the news about marriage equality in Iowa everywhere else in the country, people responded, ‘Iowa?’ But we weren’t surprised.” She said there was a clause in the Iowa State Constitution that mandated that no laws or rights should apply to one group of people and not another. They take their equality seriously around here.

Janelle and her spouse Robin married in Canada a number of years ago. With the marriage equality decision, their marriage is now recognized in their home state. Another couple who were at a Transcendental Meditation table had just married in September. One half of the couple had been raised on Whidbey Island in Washington State. She proudly told us that they had married after eight years together. A third woman, Linda Kroon, who was at the event representing multiple groups, said she and her spouse tied the knot legally 10 years to the day after their first, unrecognized wedding. “That way we don’t have two anniversaries to remember.”

Janelle and her table actively recruited us to move to Iowa. I don’t know if that’s in the cards for us, but full legal rights are tempting.

We also talked to a man at the One Iowa table, a group working to–among other things–preserve the right to marry. “There are people in this state trying to overturn the marriage equality law, just like in California.”

As we were leaving, we heard some people joking at the registration table. “Marriage equality?” someone said, “That’s so last year.”

What rights to Iowan LGBT people have? I’m glad you asked.

• In a unanimous decision, the Iowa Supreme Court gave same-sex couples in Iowa the right to marry on April 3, 2009. The ruling took effect on April 27, 2009. [via The Des Moines Register]
• Unmarried same-sex partners can grant each other rights to make medical decisions via a durable power of attorney for health care. Married same-sex partners don’t need this document.
• Any single adult may adopt in Iowa. There is no prohibition against unmarried same-sex partners jointly adopting or adopting each other’s children. Married same-sex partners can jointly adopt and adopt each other’s children.
• After sex reassignment surgery, with a physician’s affidavit, Iowa will issue a new birth certificate.
• Iowa hate crimes laws protect sexual orientation, but not gender identity.
• In Iowa you may not discriminate against people because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
• Safe schools laws in Iowa provide protection for LGBT youth. [via GLSEN] [all others via HRC unless otherwise noted]

Obviously the work is not over, but legally, it looks pretty good in Iowa for LGBT people these days. Congratulations to all who made these laws happen.

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