GLBT involvement in Iowa caucuses signifies progress in movement for equality

January 04, 2008

Chris Johnson

One of the main reasons we decided to take such an assertive role in the Iowa caucuses this year is because we feel it’s important for the GLBT community to have a visible and sustained presence in this important and closely watched political event. Marty Rouse, our national field director, frames our involvement in the Iowa caucuses in context of HRC's larger work in Iowa (and New Hampshire) in this guest post:

**********

Marty Rouse - HRC National Field Director

Tonight, as all eyes are focused on Iowa to see the results of the presidential caucuses, the GLBT community has already won a tremendous victory. Unlike in prior years, the presidential candidates, their campaigns and the media are in states that recently enacted historic protections for their increasingly visible GLBT citizens.

More than 350,000 voters joined their neighbors across Iowa on Thursday to line up behind their choices for President. The campaigns have been active in Iowa for a year, and the candidates have criss-crossed the state talking to voters in a personal way that only happens in early battleground states like Iowa and New Hampshire.

I believe that the campaigns to elect our next leader – and the media that follow them – are directly impacted by the environment in which they operate. This year, that environment is markedly different than in past election years. Just two years ago, the legislatures in both Iowa and New Hampshire were debating placing anti-marriage constitutional amendments on their November 2008 ballots. Now, with new fair-minded majorities in both states’ legislatures, those efforts have been replaced with historic pro-equality legislation. In Iowa, a GLBT civil rights law went into effect last year. And as the clock struck midnight on New Year’s Eve, jubilant couples lined up for civil unions in New Hampshire to ring in not only a new year, but a new era.

As presidential campaigns, candidates and the media talk to voters up close and personal as can only be done in New Hampshire and Iowa, they see first-hand how our gains have made life better for all Americans. The other day, I was watching C-SPAN (as I often do) when a presidential candidate began a stump speech in Iowa by congratulating Governor Chet Culver for signing the GLBT anti-discrimination law. The crowd of hundreds broke out in cheers. This would not have happened a mere two years ago. Most of the presidential candidates have proudly posed for photos with HRC volunteers wearing Equality ’08 t-shirts. A few even autographed them. Several hundred GLBT activists and allies from across the Hawkeye State were energized by attending caucus trainings led by HRC and our state-based partner One Iowa. In both Iowa and New Hampshire, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender residents are more protected and much more visible than ever before.

Minor events on the campaign trail, like candidates seeing our Equality ’08 t-shirts or being asked a question by a hand-holding lesbian couple, have been often repeated in these small states this year. They may be minor moments, but they surely signify major accomplishments of our movement and are no doubt impacting the future leader of our country.

The GLBT community and our issues have never had a greater impact at the beginning of the presidential selection process. All of us have a responsibility to be visible and active all along the campaign trail right up through November 4th.