IOWA CAUCUSES - Only a Few Days Left!

It's the final countdown to the Iowa caucuses! Every four years the eyes of the entire nation are on our state, giving us a unique opportunity to be heard in a very significant way. Make your voice heard and help represent fair-minded Iowans by learning the facts about LGBT issues and showing our visibility through your presence and participation in the caucuses and beyond.

Make your voices heard! Caucus for One Iowa!

• Show up and be counted! Pledge to caucus by clicking this link. And, wear your One Iowa t-shirt to show your support. To get a One Iowa Caucus t-shirt, and to request the Equality Workshop handout materials, please contact James at james@one-iowa.org or by phone at (515) 710-0606.
• Counter the opposition! Anti-equality forces are at it again, pushing hate-filled planks to the party platforms including a resolution for an amendment to the Iowa Constitution that would write hate and discrimination in our constitution. Speak up and make sure these planks do not advance at your caucus!
• Be a leader! Help move our message of equality forward by being a delegate for the county, district, and state conventions. Your leadership can make all the difference in making our voice heard.

Click here to view our updated calendar of candidate events in the area. Now is a great time to learn details about each candidate, as you're making your final decisions about which candidate to support.

*** Special Event ***
One Iowa will be hosting comedienne Christina O'Leary as a special Get-Out-The-Caucus event on January 2. Don't miss this night of fun and laughter at Ritual Cafe!

Christina O'Leary - Lesbian Comedienne
Ritual Cafe
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
7:00 - 9:00 pm

Best Regards,
One Iowa

A Night at the Caucus! The Musical

From NBC/NJ’s Carrie Dann
DES MOINES, IOWA



OK, it's not Les Mis. But after six months of this, we could all use a laugh.

Last night marked the opening of Des Moines' most anticipated theatrical production -- Caucus! The Musical. The vision of Midwestern playwright Robert John Ford, the play gleefully pokes fun at the descent of four fictional presidential candidates into the small communities of Iowa by chronicling their shameless courtship of one Iowa farmer and his family.

A quick run through the original soundtrack demonstrates the production's flippant and witty tone. The apocryphal candidates and their campaign managers’ soft-shoe to the "Tough Question SideStep." Christian Right favorite the Rev. Stanley Jensen declares his candidacy, crooning, "So I questioned should I run? / First I wasn't much enticed / Then I got the thumbs up sign from Lord Jesus Christ." The gaggle of politicos ventures into the snowy hinterlands of Algona and Decorah with a Hawaiian-shirt clad parody of the Beach Boys' "Kokomo." And the whole cast hits a patriotic note with its rousing finale of "Get Off Your Sorry Ass and Vote."

Although the production's characters are not one-to-one spoofs of the actual candidates, there are a few suspicious parallels between the real-life contenders and the singing ones. Fake Sen. Nora Halliday, an anti-war female African-American, who is unabashed about her historic candidacy, is a mish-mash of Obama and Clinton. (Interestingly, she turns out to be Muslim as well.) Jensen, the Bible-thumping reverend character who is attacked by his rivals for "taking the 'fun' out of 'fundamental,'" wears his faith on his sleeve a la Mike Huckabee. And a mix of the more unsavory characterizations of the real-life candidates yields fictional dimwit Sen. Harrison Tate, a gaffe machine who's too busy philandering with his cute campaign manager to read up on Roe v. Wade. He proposes that, "It depends on how deep the water is."

Despite an ultimately predictable ending that is a gratuitous homage to earnest retail politicking, Caucus! The Musical is good for at least a few belly laughs for those who have done the Iowa thing long enough to appreciate its quirks. One candidate's mispronunciation of Dubuque had THIS honorary Iowan in stitches, anyway.

It's funny, as they say, because it's true.

2007: A Year of Hope and Promise

December 21, 2007

Joe Solmonese

The air was misty and cold on November 7, 2006. Deep into the night and into Wednesday morning, we watched election returns roll in. As the dawn broke we knew that the elections had brought change, and hope. Just months after Congress had debated the Federal Marriage Amendment, anti-GLBT titans fell. Rick Santorum (R-PA) lost his Senate seat and his bully pulpit. Nancy Pelosi, whose career began with AIDS activism, would take the Speaker’s gavel. As HRC staffers returned from campaign victories across the country, the hope and excitement here were palpable. We bid goodbye to the FMA, goodbye to hostile leadership, and welcomed the opportunities that lay before us.

2007 was a year that began with great hope, and ends with promise. Looking back on this momentous year, I am proud of how far we have come. In 2007, the nation’s most conservative institution—our military—demonstrably shifted toward equality, with 28 flag officers coming out in opposition to "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell." Eric Alva, the first service member wounded in Iraq, became HRC’s spokesman on the issue, capturing the hearts and minds of Americans everywhere. Business support for GLBT rights continued to grow, with 195 corporations earning a score of 100% on HRC’s Corporate Equality Index, over 50 supporting tax equity for domestic partner benefits, and 153 Fortune 500 companies protecting transgender workers from discrimination. For the second time, major presidential candidates came to a forum and discussed GLBT issues for a TV audience. HRC’s Family Project published the first ever guide for foster care and adoption agency leaders working with GLBT foster and adoptive parents. HRC brought 230 clergy from every state in the country to the Capitol to lobby Congress on our legislative priorities.

With our successful electoral work in the states last year, we saw historic legislative advances this year including: Iowa enacted a GLBT non-discrimination law, New Hampshire passed a civil unions law; Oregon enacted domestic partnerships. And our multi-year partnership with MassEquality led to the Massachusetts legislature defeating the last serious effort to dismantle marriage equality.

While the 108th and 109th Congresses saw our community attacked through cheap election-year politics, the 110th Congress portended hope for a new politics of possibility. That hope translated into results. Hate crimes legislation covering the entire GLBT community passed both chambers of Congress by wide margins; in the Senate, hate crimes was one of the few progressive priorities able to muster the 60 votes needed for cloture. It was the first time that the bill had passed the House as a stand-alone measure. Embroiled in Iraq war politics and facing a strong veto threat, the legislation was dropped from the Department of Defense authorization bill, but now we know that without this anti-GLBT president standing in the way, it would become law. And with all of the Democratic candidates supporting the hate crimes bill, 2008 brings great promise for its passage. HRC has worked for over a decade to make this law a reality; we are committed to getting the job done.

For the first time, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act was introduced with protections for transgender employees. This marked the culmination of years of lobbying, drafting, and educating members of Congress. The measure secured 173 co-sponsors, a strong showing for the first session it existed. And although the House ultimately voted on a more limited bill, the vote was a historic one: it passed 235-184. In the 108th and 109th Congresses, merely holding a vote to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation would have been impossible—leadership focused on the FMA and the House even passed a bill to prevent GLBT people from having our day in federal court. But in 2007, we won. We have more work to do, particularly educating members of Congress about how to protect our entire community. But our high hopes translated into tangible progress.

Now the year is coming to a close, and the traffic through the halls of Congress has slowed. Behind us is 2007, the year of hope, when our community’s voice was more powerful and more relevant than it had ever been. Down by the White House, the National Christmas Tree glows beneath a grim grey sky. It is a beautiful sight. Like so many Washington traditions, from Fourth of July fireworks to election night parties, it reminds me that we are in the center of everything. In 2007, George W. Bush lit that tree for the seventh time. Ironically, he is what keeps us in the periphery, at the brink of great accomplishments, but short of making law. By this time next year, we could be celebrating the election of a supportive president. We know that this is what it will take to translate promise to results, and we are committed to making it happen.

From all of us at the Human Rights Campaign, Happy Holidays and a peaceful New Year.

Gays in Iowa and N.H. All Over the Map

by Lisa Keen
2007-12-26

Just several days from the first presidential caucus and primary, the gay vote in Iowa and New Hampshire is not reliably behind any one candidate.

Sure, contributions to Democrats in the nation’s gayest zip codes appear to give Hillary Clinton a significant edge over Barack Obama and John Edwards. Sure, a pre-selected Internet population of lesbian, gay and bisexual consumers nationally shows Clinton with a hefty lead.

But while the national data suggest that gays are leaning more strongly toward Clinton than are Democrats generally, interviews with gays in Iowa and New Hampshire paint a different picture—one that looks more muddled and more like voters in those key early states.

Take a look at the last seven national polls of Democrats—the average of those polls shows Clinton leading with 43 percent of the vote, followed by Obama with 26 percent, Edwards with 13 percent and five others splitting 18 percent. The Hunter College survey, released this month, showed that 63 percent of LGB consumers nationally supported Clinton and 22 percent supported Obama, with the remaining 15 percent being spread out over five other Democratic candidates. Federal Elections Commission reports through October ( the latest available ) on contributions to the candidates show that in the nation’s gayest zip codes, Clinton leads with 51 percent of contributions to the top three polling Democrats, followed by Obama with 38 percent and Edwards with 11 percent.

Now look at the four latest New Hampshire polls. As of Dec. 13, Clinton had only a three-point lead over Obama, with a margin of error of plus or minus three points. Edwards is in third, 12 points behind Obama. In Iowa, the average of five polls, as of Dec. 17, shows Obama three points ahead of Clinton with a three-point margin of error. And Clinton has only a two-point lead over Edwards. And in both states, interviews with gay activists suggest the gay voting block is also diffuse.

Interviews with activists in these two states suggest a similar phenomenon. New Hampshire State Rep. Jim Splaine, who led the successful push for civil unions in that state this year, is backing Clinton; State Rep. Mo Baxley, who heads up the state’s only statewide gay organization, is for Edwards. In Iowa, longtime Democratic and gay activist Dave Tingwald is for Obama; activist Carlton Blackburn is for Joe Biden; and Janelle Rettig is a precinct captain for Clinton.

Read more story below....

“GLBT folks are divided up more this year than in any other,” said Rettig, an observation that was echoed time and again by activists in both states. “We have three openly out elected officials here in Johnson County. One is with Clinton, one with Obama and one, I’m unsure. I know GLBT folks with [ Bill ] Richardson.”

Ray Buckley, the openly gay chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party, said gay voters in the Granite State are “really, really spread out —right across the spectrum.”

The state’s Freedom to Marry group just announced its endorsement of Edwards and the vote, said Mo Baxley, was “close.”

The group took great pains to solicit meetings with the candidates, examine their records and policy statements, and even talk to their gay constituents in their home states. Support for Clinton inside the group suffered from the candidate’s decision not to accept the group’s invitation to meet. Obama met with the group, in a basement room of a civic arena after he appeared at a large gathering with talk show host Oprah Winfrey. But he stumbled on his answer to the group’s query about the inclusion of anti-gay gospel singer Donnie McClurkin in a campaign event in South Carolina, said Baxley. John Edwards met with the group on its own turf —the Freedom to Marry office—and was “no holds barred.”

“His answers felt sincere,” said Baxley.

Edwards has kept up a steady drumbeat for gay support, even going into Iowa. The campaign sent out a notice Dec. 14 saying it was sending former National Stonewall Democrats Executive Director Eric Stern to Cedar Rapids and Iowa City to encourage support for the former senator.

But in Iowa, Joe Biden was the first presidential candidate to meet with a group of gays—Connections, in Iowa City— and the event was broadcast on C-SPAN. The non-partisan group did not make an endorsement, but its founder and president, Carlton Blackburn, is supporting Biden.

“I like his strong, straightforward answers on gay issues,” said Blackburn, recalling a CNN debate forum in June in which Biden called the military’s “don’t ask/don’t tell” policy of excluding gays “ridiculous” and said General Peter Pace, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was “flat wrong” for his comments in support of the policy.

But asked how other gays are leaning, Blackburn said “it runs the gamut —It is incredibly split.”

Dave Tingwald, who has been active as both a Democratic party activist and a gay activist in Iowa City, agrees.

“I don’t think there’s a consensus growing,” said Tingwald. “There are a lot of undecided voters.” Tingwald is not one of them. He’s supporting Obama.

“I like his judgment, his leadership, his ability to tell the truth simply, and people believe him,” said Tingwald. The defining moment for Tingwald was an Obama television ad that promised to protect Social Security benefits.

“I would like to see any of the candidates support full social equality for gays as part of the platform,” said Tingwald, “but that’s not the case. All the major Democratic candidates will advance LGBT equality but they’re wrong on marriage. We have to accept that and move on.”

Katie Imborek, a graduate student at the University of Iowa, said both health care and LGBT rights are priorities for her.

“I’m honestly torn currently between Barack and Hillary,” she said.

Although the gay voting bloc in Iowa may be split, it is interested. One Iowa, a statewide gay group, hosted several “Equality Workshops” with the Human Rights Campaign in locations throughout the state last week. In Ames, 24 out of 27 people who attended pledged to show up at the caucus Jan. 3. The response was promising enough that HRC and One Iowa scheduled additional workshops this week.

New Hampshire’s Buckley said the fact that the gay vote in New Hampshire and Iowa is spread out “is nothing new.”

“We aren’t a tight-knit group; we’re very large, diverse, and influential,” said Buckley. And, noting that a diverse voting bloc increases pressure on candidates to answer questions on gay issues more completely, said Buckley, “it’s the best thing that we are.”

Happy Holidays from One Iowa & Project Equality

As you're gathering with your families, or thinking of the ones you love, One Iowa is hard at work to make sure all families are treated fairly and equally. Here's how you can help.

One Iowa invites you to share your unique story about how the lack of marriage equality excludes you, your partner, your family, or someone you know. Your real and personal story can help One Iowa educate people about the hardships faced by same-sex couples and their families, as well as teach people about how you or someone you care about celebrate love, commitment, and family. One Iowa's goal in collecting and sharing these stories is to show our state, citizens and law-makers alike, that the faces and lives of our story tellers will help us hold ourselves accountable to the promise of liberty, fairness, and equality.

Your personal story is the most convincing tool we have to impact the hearts and minds of legislators, friends, neighbors, and the general public. We want to hear from you - married or single, LGBT or allied - so, take a few moments to provide us with your personal story and photo.

Your story may be that of you and your partner meeting and falling in love. It may be the story of having and raising children. Or it may be a story of sorrow; the loss of a partner or illness of a child. Story-telling is a way to talk honestly about equal rights, opportunities, and fairness. Whether you are in a same-sex committed relationship or know someone who is (because often friends and family of same-sex couples suffer harm as well), make your story personal, concrete, and make sure you explain why marriage matters to you. When citizens and legislators see real, committed, loving couples building a life together, it helps them understand the devotion and commitment in ALL couples is the same and real. No matter your experiences, your story will change hearts and minds across Iowa.

If you don't feel comfortable sharing your name, we are committed to protecting your identity and information. Your information will be protected and the information will only be used anonymously. A family photo is not required to participate in sharing your story.

Your story and family photo may be emailed directly to familystories@one-iowa.org, or just simply to this email.

Warm Holiday Wishes,
One Iowa & Project Equality

Iowa City training session for January 3 caucuses draws packed house

From HRC's Blog: HRC Back Story
December 05, 2007
Chris Johnson

Here's the latest news on the One Iowa/HRC training sessions that our field staff is taking part in to help GLBT and straight-supportive Iowans prepare for the Iowa caucuses in January. This update was sent to us by Terry McGuire, one of our regional field organizers, following a well-attended training session in Iowa City last night:

Over 80 participants showed up tonight! The event was held at the Iowa City Public Library in a really great location – right downtown by the University of Iowa. The room was perfect for the event and we were able to set it up really nicely. The room was so packed that I spent the better part of half an hour running back and forth from the supply closet with extra chairs and tables. As you can see from the pictures (below), people were literally spilling into the aisles!

Students represented a huge contingency of the attendees, due largely in part to the amazing campus outreach on the part of the Project Equality organizers, especially Mark Anthony and Tess Feldman. The student community here at the University of Iowa, particularly the GLBT and ally community, is very active and engaged. They take their role in the Presidential process very seriously. I was very surprised to see the large amount of students who were not only registered to vote but were also impressively informed politically. It was really great to hear from the students who were going to be first time participants. You could really feel the excitement and energy!

Wish us luck for tomorrow – Cedar Falls/Waterloo here we come!

Posted at 03:50 PM in Marriage & Relationship Recognition, Youth & Campus Activism

The most important campaign

I was glad to hear about the caucus training offered this week by the University Democrats, but I would like to suggest a better alternative. It is admirable to learn about this political process from fellow students and a completely sufficient forum -- if there is no alternative. However, on Tuesday night there will be caucus training at the Iowa City Public Library lead by experts from the Human Rights Campaign.

Field Directors from the Human Rights Campaign in Washington, D.C will be in Iowa City to show and teach the process of caucusing, and also provide HRC issues pertinent to the campaigns. They are here to teach Iowa City how to caucus for human rights. Whichever politician may earn your vote, we all need to advocate for human rights as we meet candidates and ask them questions.

At 7:00PM on Tuesday, December 4th in Room A, The Human Rights Campaign staff will teach us how to caucus for the most important campaign - the protection and advocacy of human rights. I feel that if someone has time to attend just one caucus training this year, it should lead by professionals and the audience should learn about pressing issues. This is our opportunity. It is my hope that members of the Iowa City community attend this event not only to learn the caucus process, but to show the country that Iowa City cares about a campaign extending beyond the 2008 election - the campaign for human rights.

Tess Feldman
Senior, University of Iowa

HRC in Iowa City!

IOWA CITY GLBT CAUCUS TRAINING AND ISSUES FORUM
THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN,
ONE IOWA AND PROJECT EQUALITY

With just one month to go until Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucus things are naturally revving up. That certainly goes for the state’s gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community! With the unprecedented historical nature of the upcoming election the GLBT community is getting engaged more than ever to have their voice heard in this important process.

The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest GLBT civil rights organization, is in Iowa City to work with One Iowa and Project Equality in engaging the local community. Come and join us for Iowa City’s first Equality Workshop! In addition to learning about the Presidential caucus process we will discuss key issues facing the community and learn how to discuss these issues with our friends, family, and neighbors. It is incredibly important for the Iowa City GLBT community and their straight allies to engage themselves in this process so mark your calendars!! Bring yourself, your friends, your family – anyone and everyone!

Tuesday, December 4th
7:15pm – 9:00pm
Iowa City Public Library, Room A
123 S. Linn Street
Iowa City, IA 52240

Refreshments and snacks will be provided AND you’ll get a free Equality T-Shirt to rock around campus!

WI gay marriage ban challenge OK

Judge says vote's wording "constitutionally defective"
Mike Miller — 11/29/2007 11:37 am

A University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh political science teacher's legal challenge to a state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage and civil unions can proceed, a Dane County circuit judge ruled Wednesday, throwing out a motion by the state to dismiss the lawsuit.

Judge Richard Niess ruled that William McConkey, an instructor, had legal standing to file the challenge to the ban, which was approved by 59 percent of Wisconsin voters in a referendum after receiving approval by consecutive sessions of the Legislature.

McConkey was representing himself when he filed the lawsuit last July, but in oral arguments Wednesday he was represented by longtime Madison lawyer Lester Pines. Pines said after the hearing that it is likely that he will continue to represent McConkey.

McConkey, of Baileys Harbor, is challenging the new constitutional amendment on the grounds the question put to voters essentially asked two questions in one, which violates another section of the state Constitution that says the people of the state must have the opportunity to vote for each question separately when amending the Constitution.

Assistant Attorney General Thomas Balistreri, who represents the state, filed a motion to dismiss the suit on the grounds that McConkey lacked legal standing to bring the action because he suffered no harm as a result of the amendment. Balistreri said even if McConkey could show his rights as a voter were violated because two questions were wrapped into one, "that's not enough for standing. You have to have harm as a result of the violation," he said.

McConkey, who described himself as a "Christian, straight, married" father of nine and grandfather of seven when he filed the lawsuit, is not directly affected by the ban on gay marriages or the ban on civil unions. But Pines argued that the proposed amendment violated the Wisconsin Constitution because voters had to endorse either both concepts in the question or neither, and therefore were deprived of their rights to oppose one or the other.

McConkey has standing to proceed in the lawsuit, Pines said, because his voting rights were violated.

Such legal arguments are usually supported by lawyers from each side citing previous cases in Wisconsin courts, or the federal courts, but a paucity of such cases left Niess with little guidance on the issue.

But he agreed with the argument posed by Pines that by containing two propositions in the same question -- banning gay marriages and banning civil unions -- the people were denied the right to vote on each.

"I believe there is a demonstrable injury to any voter who is required to vote on a question that is constitutionally defective," Niess said. "Voting is the very bedrock, the very lifeblood of the democracy we have," and needs to be protected "above all," the judge said.

The ruling means the lawsuit, in which McConkey's central argument is that the amendment violates the U.S. Constitution's guarantee of equal protections under law, can continue. It does not indicate what the eventual outcome will be.

The Wisconsin Family Council joined the state in seeking dismissal of the suit, filing a friend of the court brief.

Letter to Governor Culver

December 1, 2007

World AIDS Day – Take the Lead!

Dear Governor Culver:

I am a new citizen of Iowa, a registered Democrat, and currently a graduate student at the University of Iowa. Part of my desire to attend the University of Iowa, and pleasure in being accepted here, is that Iowa seems to have a much broader range of opinions than my previous state of Nebraska does. I was very happy to see the Governor of Iowa actually supported an annual workshop on LGBT youth in the state. I was also aware, being a frequent visitor to the Lambda Legal (an LGBT/HIV+ public interest law firm) website (http://www.lambdalegal.org/) that some same-sex Iowa couples were suing the state, for the equal right to marry. As someone working in the field of HIV prevention in Nebraska, I felt marriage equality was something that might actually help prevent HIV infections.

In the year 2000, outside organizations helped sponsor a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage in the State of Nebraska. While I didn’t agree with a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, I also didn’t fully realize just how important this issue was, and continues to be, for the Gay and Lesbian communities. As the state coordinator for HIV prevention education, though, I soon recognized what an important statement this was making in Nebraska. At the same time that many people in power, along with many residents of the state, were bemoaning the “promiscuity” of gay men and asking, in regards to HIV prevention, “why don’t these gay guys get it?” they also wanted to deny them the power and ability to commit to one person and the rights and privileges that come with marriage. And they wanted it enshrined in the Constitution of the state no less, a state that carries the motto “All Equal before the Law.” I was appalled when, after that heavy outside funding, the constitutional amendment was passed by more than 70% of those voting. I was also strengthened in my resolve to leave the state – I don’t believe in running from standing up for what I believe, but Nebraska seemed then (and still seems today) to be a lost cause for the foreseeable future, at least in the fight for marriage equality.

Shortly after my arrival in Iowa City, the court case of Varnum v Brien was decided, in the Gay and Lesbian couples’ favor, with an almost immediate stay pending appeals to the Iowa Supreme Court. Speaking for myself, having both legal experience and HIV prevention experience, I think it’s vital to recognize and, for want of a better term, “normalize” gay and lesbian relationships. The time to stigmatize these individuals needs to be placed behind us. I feel societal respect, and equality, would go a very long way to giving our gay youth, and elders as well, a stronger sense of self-respect, that hopefully will result in better health outcomes.

The judge in the case seems to feel the same way. In fact, both parties in the case seem to feel the same way with over 100 issues declared to not be in dispute including this one, (#34) “As a result of their exclusion from the civil institution of marriage, Plaintiffs, their relationships and their families are stigmatized and made more vulnerable in comparison to heterosexuals. Through the marriage exclusion the State devalues and delegitimizes relationships at the very core of the adult Plaintiffs’ sexual orientation and expresses, compounds, and perpetuates the stigma historically attached to homosexuality, for them and all gay persons.”

This marriage equality movement is not attempting to force any religious organization to endorse, or even allow, same-sex marriages in their religious organizations. What is being asked for is equality in making a contract of marriage. Not allowing for marriage equality is giving the stamp of approval for continuing to ostracize the Gay and Lesbian community.

Governor, I am hopeful you will be able to see the benefits to the health and well-being of the Gay and Lesbian citizens of Iowa of supporting marriage equality. It is the logical next step, and the best step, to ensure Iowa remains at the forefront of equal rights for all its citizens. Iowa’s state motto is: Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain. Governor, please exercise your power as the leader of this state to stand up for the right of marriage equality. The motto of the 2007 World AIDS Campaign (http://www.worldaidscampaign.info/) is “Take the Lead.” Please feel free to do so.

Sincerely yours,

Buddy Housman
UI Graduate Student

Join HRC and One Iowa For Iowa's First Equality Workshops this December!

Come and join One Iowa and the Human Rights Campaign for Iowa’s first Equality Workshops. Through these Equality Workshops, we will discuss key issues facing the LGBT community on both a state and federal level, how to discuss these issues with your friends, family, neighbors, acquaintances, and the Presidential candidates, and why it is so important for our community to participate in January’s Iowa Caucuses. Mark your calendars to attend one of our Equality Workshops and learn how to get active in the Iowa Caucuses and beyond.

Ames: December 3rd @ 7:15pm – 9:00pm
City Hall
Council Chambers room
515 Clark Avenue
Ames, IA 50010

Iowa City: December 4th @ 7:15pm – 9:00pm
Iowa City Public Library
Room A
123 S. Lynn Street
Iowa City, IA 52240

Cedar Falls/Waterloo: December 5th @ 7:00pm – 8:45pm
Cedar Falls Public Library
Meeting Room
524 Main Street
Cedar Falls, IA 50613
Des Moines: December 6th @ 6:30pm – 8:00pm
Des Moines Public Library (Central Location)
Room 2 and 3
1000 Grand
Des Moines, IA 50309

For further information or to RSVP please contact James Taylor, One Iowa Caucus Director, at james@one-iowa.org or feel free to call at 515.710.0606.

Take One Iowa's LGBT Family Survey

... help us prove it!

http://www.iowafamilysurvey.org/

This survey is designed primarily to obtain information about how individuals in same-sex relationships and their families are treated in Iowa, although everyone may complete the survey. We encourage everyone, to the extent that the provided answers don't fully cover your experiences, to use the narrative sections in the survey to provide further insight on how your relationships are treated.

We encourage you to share this survey with any same-sex couples and individuals in same-sex relationships you know in Iowa. Please answer honestly and completely, your responses are confidential.

The survey will take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete.

Gay candidates victorious across the U.S.

11/07/07
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Denis Dison (202) 842-7308, denis.dison@victoryfund.org

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Dozens of openly gay and lesbian candidates running in municipal and state legislative races across the country won their elections Tuesday, according to the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund. Of the record 71 candidates endorsed by the group in 2007, at least 31 won their races on Tuesday, while 10 were elected earlier this year. At least three more endorsed candidates received enough votes to advance to runoff elections.

Victory Fund president and CEO Chuck Wolfe said the growing number of out candidates demonstrates the gay community’s increasing involvement in electoral politics. “This is the path to change. We are not content to sit on the sidelines and hope that others do the right thing for our community. We will step up and lead the fight for a more equal and fair America, and we will win,” Wolfe said.

The Victory Fund’s 71 endorsements set a new record for an odd-numbered year in which there are no scheduled federal elections. In 2006, the group endorsed 88 candidates and it expects to endorse more than 100 candidates in 2008, according to Wolfe. He added that planning has already begun for next year’s races.

“2008 will be another record-breaking year for gay candidates, and they’ll need help to counter the inevitable attacks from anti-gay hate groups. We’ll be ready to fight,” Wolfe said.

Among the highlights Tuesday:

• Joel Burns, a candidate for the Fort Worth, Tex., City Council advanced to a December runoff election as the top vote-getter after being subject to anti-gay smears from an opponent.
• Craig Covey won his race for mayor of Ferndale, Mich., becoming the first openly gay mayor elected in the state of Michigan.
• Michelle Bruce, an openly transgender incumbent on the Riverdale, Ga., City Council was the top vote-getter in her race and advances to a runoff election.
• New Jersey State Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, who became the state’s first openly LGBT state legislator when he came out publicly during his current term, won re-election to his seat.
• Jeffrey Anderson was elected to the Duluth City Council, becoming the first openly gay elected official in northern Minnesota.
• Tim Eustace won his race for mayor of Maywood, N.J.
• Brian Bates, won a seat on the Doraville, Ga., City Council, becoming the first openly gay Republican ever to win office in the state.
• Lydia Lavelle won a seat on the Carrboro, N.C., Board of Aldermen, becoming the seventh openly LGBT candidate ever elected in the state.

Winning candidates Tuesday night include (alphabetical by state):

CA Steve Pougnet--Palm Springs Mayor
CA Ruth Atkin--Vice Mayor-Emeryville,CA (i)
CA Henry Lo--Garvey School District Board of Education (i)
CO Karen Kellen--Lakewood City Council
CT Mike Pohl--Manchester Board of Education
CT Adam Gutcheon--Windsor Board of Education (i)
GA Lance Rhodes--East Point City Council (i)
GA Kecia Cunningham--Decatur City Commissioner (i)
GA Brian Bates--Doraville City Council
MA Joe DeMedeiros--New Bedford City Council (i)
MA Denise Simmons--Cambridge City Council (i)
MA Timothy Purington--Holyoke City Council
MD Patrick Wojahn--College Park City Council
MI Craig Covey--Mayor-Ferndale
MN Greg Lemke--Moorhead City Council (i)
MN Jeffrey Anderson--Duluth City Council
NC Lydia Lavelle--Carrboro Alderman
NH Jonathan Cote--Manchester School Board
NJ Reed Gusciora--NJ General Assembly
NJ Randy Bishop--Neptune Township (i)
NJ Timothy Eustace--Mayor- Maywood,NJ
NY Jon Cooper--Suffolk County Legislator (i)
NY Debra Silber--Judge, NYC Civil Court (i)
NY Ken Zalewski--Troy City Council
PA Geri Delevich--New Hope Borough City Council (i)
PA Bruce Kraus—Pittsburgh City Council
TX Sue Lovell--Houston City Council (i)
TX Annise Parker--Houston Controller (i)
WA Tom Rasmussen--Seattle City Council (i)
WA Sally Clark--Seattle City Council (i)
VA Adam Ebbin--Virginia House of Delegates (i)

(i) = incumbent
Other races are too close to call. For up-to-date election results for all endorsed candidates, go to www.victoryfund.org.

The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund is the only national organization dedicated to increasing the number of openly lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender public officials at all levels of government. It is the nation’s largest LGBT political action committee. Since its founding in 1991, the Victory Fund has helped grow the number of out elected officials from just 49 to nearly 400 in the United States. For more information, visit www.victoryfund.org.

Permission

"Whose permission would you need to get married to the person you love?"

Winner of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Rights Award at the sixth annual "Media that Matters" film festival.

- Produced by Public Interest: http://www.publicinterest.tv
- Michael Franzini, President and Creative Director
- Dave Isser, Executive Producer

Let California Ring Campaign - Change Hearts and Minds

Our friends in California have been producing some pretty cool videos to help educate the public on marriage equality. Here is one of the better ones.

Coming out, going strong - Metro

Coming out, going strong - Metro
By: Matt Nelson - The Daily Iowan
Posted: 10/12/07

Students in hoodies and sweaters carrying signs and bearing slogans gathered on the Pentacrest on Thursday in the hopes that some day they wouldn't have to.

Sitting at the foot of the Pentacrest were approximately 10 supporters in support of both the 19th-annual National Coming Out Day and the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Allied Union student group.

"There are a lot of people who are celebrating in their own way," said Laurie Eiserman, noting the low attendance. "Coming out is a constant process," added Cody Shafer, noting that the day fell in the middle of midterms for many people.

This year, the internationally observed National Coming Out Day coincides with the 20th anniversary of the Gay and Lesbian March on Washington as well as the presentation of the AIDS Quilt at the National Mall as a memorial to those who suffered AIDS-related deaths.

The recent controversy over a judge's ruling that the Iowa law limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples was unconstitutional provided a backdrop for the event.

The decision lasted fewer than 24 hours before the same judge stayed the ruling pending Polk County's appeal to the Iowa Supreme Court.

"Now, more than ever, it's important for students to know what we mean [by equality]," said Mark Anthony Dingbaum, who works for One Iowa, a gay-rights advocacy group that promotes equal access to marriage for same-sex couples.

As a member of One Iowa's Project Equality, which started this year, Dingbaum has helped organize educational events over the past year between One Iowa and the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Allied Union at the UI, including a meeting that was held last night at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Resource Center.

The house opened last October to provide a space for students to interact and to serve as a resource for members of the gay community.

Shafer, one of the executive board members, said the push for same-sex marriage rights will likely be one of the defining issues for the movement in the state for the next few years.

And though organizers spoke warmly about the day, Haley Whitlatch expressed hope that National Coming Out Day might end at some point.

"More and more people are coming out every day," Whitlatch said. "Hopefully, 10 years from now, we won't need a Coming Out Day."

Same-Sex Marriage ...in Iowa?

This is a compilation of some clips from a class project of a University of Iowa student in the aftermath of the Polk County Court ruling.

Polk County Judge Rules in Favor of Marriage Equality

News coverage of the historic Polk County Court ruling and an interview with One Iowa's Executive Director.

Polk County Court Rules in Favor of Equality

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

FAIRNESS WINS IN LAWSUIT SEEKING MARRIAGE EQUALITY FOR SAME-SEX COUPLES
District Court Grants Equal Treatment to Same-Sex Couples

DES MOINES, IA - The Iowa District Court for Polk County District has issued its decision in a lawsuit seeking marriage equality for same-sex couples: Iowa same-sex couples deserve equal treatment under law.

"We're thrilled by this decision," said Carolyn Jenison, One Iowa's Executive Director. "This is a great day to be an Iowan and a monumental day in Iowa history."

A recent poll by the Des Moines Register found that a majority of Iowans support equal rights for same-sex couples in the state, 49% to 38%. Additionally, studies in New Jersey, New Hampshire, California, and other states have shown that equal marriage increases business and tourism revenues, contributing millions in new tax dollars to the state.

"This judgment is reflective of Iowa values," said Jessica Brackett, Director of the Marriage Initiative at One Iowa. "Iowans believe in fairness and equal rights for all of our citizens."

Current Iowa law provides no access for LGBT people to the myriad rights, protections, and responsibilities provided by marriage. One Iowa advocates for equal access to civil marriage, meaning religious marriages would still be left to individual churches to decide.

One Iowa is working with Lambda Legal to provide education surrounding the Iowa Marriage Equality lawsuit, which was filed in November of 2005 by Lambda Legal on behalf of six same-sex Iowa couples.

One Iowa, the state's largest LGBT rights organization, is dedicated to supporting full equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals living in Iowa through grassroots efforts and education.

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MEDIA CONTACT
Paul Whannel
Director of Communications
515-556-0296 cell
515-288-3240 office
paul@one-iowa.org

1,138 Ways - What's That Mean?

Welcome to the Official Blog of Project Equality. We are excited to offer this new feature to our fellow advocates of marriage equality in the state of Iowa. It is our hope that this blog will serve as an educational resource for those seeking more information on the movement towards equal marriage for all Iowans.

Bookmark us and check back often. You never know what new, exciting and informational materials will be waiting for you!