ONE IOWA PRESS KIT FOR VARNUM V. BRIEN CASE
Multiple events and press opportunities planned to support marriage for gay couples

The Iowa Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments in the landmark Varnum v. Brien case on December 9. The case could clear the way for committed gay and lesbian couples to marry in Iowa. In preparation for this historic event, One Iowa has planned multiple events and press opportunities. The following resources have been prepared to assist members of the press in covering these events.

Press Advisory: Statewide public events leading up to and after oral arguments
One Iowa and Lambda Legal have organized numerous events across the state to highlight this historic case, with multiple press opportunities available.

Press Advisory: Dec. 9 events and contacts for public spokespeople across the state
Details about the many events happening on the day of oral arguments and contact information for spokespeople who will be available for comment on that day.

Press Release (Embargoed for Dec. 9 Release): One Iowa’s comments on day of oral arguments
One Iowa, the state’s largest lesbian and gay advocacy group responds to the historic proceedings before the Iowa Supreme Court

Press Release (Embargoed for Dec. 9 Release): Public Figures react on day of oral arguments
Prepared statements from notable Iowans, including Lt. Governors Joy Corning and Sally Pederson, Senator Matt McCoy, Roxanne Conlin, Ed Fallon, and more.

Representatives of One Iowa and other spokespeople are also available to comment prior to Tuesday’s arguments. To set up pre-interviews, please contact us at 515-333-2525.

For additional information on the Varnum v. Brien case or One Iowa, visit www.oneiowa.org

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

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One week from today, Iowa will take the national spotlight as the case for marriage equality goes before the Iowa Supreme Court. Join One Iowa across the state to celebrate and learn more about this historic opportunity for equality.

For more information on any of these events, contact One Iowa at organize@oneiowa.org or 515-288-4019

Sioux City residents, Chuck Swaggerty and Jason Morgan shared their story with the Sioux City Journal. The couple is one of the plaintiffs in Lambda Legal’s Varnum v. Brien case that has been appealed to the Iowa Supreme Court.

From the Sioux City Journal:

Sioux City couple at center of gay marriage debate
By Bret Hayworth Journal staff writer

SIOUX CITY — On a late July evening, the parents bathe their two children, putting them into pajamas just before 8 p.m.

The couple then spend time playing with their boys, talking a bit about how exhausting parenting can be and how parenthood limits the trips away they can take.

One leans over to help 1-year-old Reed blow his nose while the other rolls a ball with Ta’John, age 3. Ta’John, they say, will invariably come down from his upstairs bedroom five times nightly before finally falling asleep.

It’s an otherwise ordinary life filled with laundry, work on the house and lawn and dining at home on chicken and rice.

Yet, in the eyes of many, the family forged by Chuck and Jason is anything but ordinary. While their home life may be “boring,” the two are also the plaintiffs Swaggerty and Morgan in a groundbreaking gay marriage case making its way through the Iowa court system.

Read the complete article over at the Sioux City Journal.

For more information on the marriage case, check out One Iowa’s marriage resources.

One Iowa is featured in this week’s edition of the Business Record. The article focuses on the work that One Iowa is doing to create a positive climate for LGBT employees and customers in Iowa. Take a look!

One Iowa takes lead in equal rights for LGBT

BY MARJORIE SMITH Having a community that embraces people regardless of sexual orientation is more than just One Iowa’s mission; it’s a recruitment tool that allows a larger pool of qualified workers to enter, live and feel comfortable in Greater Des Moines.

And that’s what One Iowa is here for - to create an environment that welcomes lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals into Des Moines, and the state as a whole, to live and work.

Read the complete article over at the Business Record website.

Dear Friends,

You are a part of history!

Yesterday California joined a growing list of governments in the United States that recognizes all families - gay and straight alike - should be afforded the equal protections and responsibilities to protect their loved ones from harm.

Today, thousands of lesbian and gay couples in California will no longer be excluded from protecting their families through marriage.

This is a historic moment. This day is about fairness and justice for couples whose government has deemed their relationships “less than.” It’s about two people having the right to build a life together, raise a family, visit each other in the hospital - things many couples take for granted.

It is also the beginning of an enormous political battle.

Read the rest of this entry »

Dear Friends,

As you may have heard, the California Supreme Court recently ruled that it is unconstitutional to bar gay and lesbian couples from marriage, and California soon will join the list of places where same-sex couples may marry. If you are considering travel to California or elsewhere to marry, the documents below contain information about how to obtain a license in California, and about legal implications for out-of-state couples who travel to California to marry. We encourage you to call Lambda Legal’s help desk if you have specific questions about the legal ramifications for you individually, including how marriage to a same-sex spouse is likely to affect your legal obligations and eligibility for particular benefits and protections under Iowa law.

For more information regarding whether to travel to California or another state or country to marry, see Lambda Legal’s FAQs:

“Traveling to Another State or Country to Marry,” located here.

“Marriage for Same Sex Couples in California,” located here.

Read the rest of this entry »