If You're Gay, The Iowa GOP Says You Don't Deserve Equality

It looks like the GOP played their cards in the Iowa House of Representatives yesterday, by voting 62-37 to pass an amendment that would deny any form of legal recognition for gay couples. yes, you readthat right: the Iowa GOP, and, obviously, the national GOP, wish we didn't exist, so let's not try to pretend otherwise. This Hate Amendment is designed to prohibit not only the freedom to marry for gay couples, but also civil unions or domestic partnerships.

No rights, no way.


It sickens me that anyone, even members of the GOP, can actually vote FOR discrimination, but that's what they've done. And that's the bad news; the good news is that the bill now moves to the Iowa Senate, where Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal has vowed to fight attempts to pass it. And since the Senate is Democratically controlled, hopefully, cooler, more sane and intelligent heads will prevail, and homophobia won't become law.

Should the bill, however, pass both houses, in two consecutive General Assemblies, the issue could be on the ballot in 2013, where the people of Iowa would get to vote on the rights of the LGBT community.

One Iowa Executive Director Carolyn Jenison: “The proposed amendment devalues families and divides Iowans. The Constitution is meant to protect the freedoms and liberties of all Iowans. It is inappropriate to use the political process to single out and deny a group of Iowans of their constitutional protections.”

Protection for ALL Iowans, unless, if the GOP has their way, you happen to be a gay Iowan. Now, I get all pissy and angry and bitchy about this, but then I hear someone else speak, and they put it much more eloquently than I could ever hope:



source: OneIowa