The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) today applauded the Iowa Supreme Court's decision in that state's landmark marriage case. The court's ruling in Varnum v. Brien affirmed a District Court's ruling that the state's ban on marriage for gay and lesbian couples is unconstitutional and instructs county recorders to start issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples in twenty-one days. "Today's ruling affirms that loving, committed gay and lesbian couples should no longer be excluded from marriage," said GLAAD President Neil G. Giuliano. "GLAAD congratulates and expresses our deepest appreciation to One Iowa, Lambda Legal, the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa, and the other organizations, leaders and courageous couples whose work and perseverance culminated in today's ruling."
"GLAAD urges local and national media reporting on this historic story to ground their coverage in the stories of the Iowa couples whose enduring commitment is at the heart of today's decision," Giuliano concluded.
GLAAD Media Field Strategist Sarah Kennedy is currently in Iowa supporting state LGBT leaders One Iowa and the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa, as well as Lambda Legal, in their media outreach and education efforts.
Varnum v. Brien was filed by Lambda Legal in December 2005. On August 30, 2007, an Iowa District Court judge ruled that denying marriage to gay couples was unconstitutional. Twenty-four hours later, the judge issued a stay on his order; but in that time, 19 same-sex couples applied for marriage licenses and one couple legally married.
