Gay Marriage in the Heartland--Iowa Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage

Same-sex marriage is no longer simply a coastal phenomenon. Iowa's state supreme court unanimously voted in favor of same-sex marriage. The Iowa court ruling addressed religious concerns by saying "civil marriage must be judged under our constitutional standards of equal protection and not under religious doctrines or the religious views of individuals."

This is certainly an exciting development because it debunks the notion that gay marriage, at least in the near term, can only occur on the east and west coasts. It'll be interesting to see whether or not a constitutional amendment springs up, considering that it is significantly difficult to even get one on the ballot in Iowa. The state constitution requires two consecutive sessions of the state legislature to approve a ballot initiative by a 2/3rds majority before it can move on to the voters.