Marriage equality comes to Iowa

The Iowa Supreme Court has unanimously approved marriage equality for gays in Iowa. Not just civil unions, marriage. Just as it damned well should be.

There's a lot of love and hate going around the blogosphere for this state right now, but the anti-gay forces are going to have a hell of a fight on their hands. Sullivan:

"Such an amendment requires the votes of a simple majority in both the Iowa House and Iowa Senate in two consecutive sessions, followed by a passing vote of the people of Iowa.... Such a change would require approval in consecutive legislative sessions and a public vote, which means a ban would could not be put in place until at least 2012 unless lawmakers take up the issue in the next few weeks."

Which isn't going to happen; Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal put the kibbosh on that notion.

I love this state. For all its bad qualities, it really is a sensible, cordial, low-stress place to live. And we've set an example for tolerance.

Cycle Ninja blog love goes out to Mickey, Jen, JP, Kris, and all the others out there.
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Update: Court decision summary is here (thanks, Des Moines Register). It basically said the only differences between gay couples and straight couples are their inability to procreate with each other and their sexual orientation. In other words, the standing law of Iowa marriage was discriminatory because of sexual orientation and should be thrown out. GOOD.