Same-Sex Marriage Supporters Rally for Anniversary of Ruling

By Justin Foss, Reporter

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By Aaron Hepker

Story Created: Apr 4, 2010 at 10:28 AM CST

Story Updated: Apr 4, 2010 at 11:15 AM CST

CEDAR RAPIDS – It’s been a wild ride for supporters of same-sex marriage in Iowa. A year ago Saturday, the state Supreme Court ruled that banning same-sex marriage was unconstitutional.

On the year anniversary of that historic ruling, supporters are looking back at what has changed, and what hasn’t.

In the year since the ruling, Reverend Tom Capo at the People’s Choice Unitarian Universalist church in Cedar Rapids has seen many couples get married in his church, many even from out of state.

“I was in Texas before I can to Cedar Rapids. All I could do was bless unions that were not legal. It was wonderful to bless these unions, but to be able to say I actually married a gay or lesbian couple and they have the same rights as everybody else, is just a wonderful thing,” said Rev. Capo.

Since the ruling, two others states as well as Washington D.C. now also allow same-sex marriages.

“We will only get better from here,” said Anthony Brown, Director of the Cedar Rapids Gay and Lesbian Resource Center.

Brown said all Iowans are equal, and the ruling has made such a difference in how the rest of the country views Iowa. He said it’s made Iowa on top when it comes to be progressive with civil rights issues.

Despite the changes, Reverend Capo says he’s found people that didn’t notice any changes.

“Most of them say they haven’t seen any difference and actually most of them are coming around to a point where they say it’s not affecting them, so live and let live,” said Rev. Capo.

Opponents of the ruling have made their voices heard too. But, because the ruling came from the state supreme court, it can’t be appealed.

Instead, they can only change the state constitution to ban it, and that has proven tricky and unsuccessful because it would require the state legislature to approve the measure for two consecutive years, before going to the voting public.

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