Friday, April 03, 2009

Iowans in the Diaspora Celebrate Equality Victory


Wilmer Possendorfer, a part-time milliner formerly of Ute, Iowa, celebrates the Equality victory with a cake and a sculpture of an ear of corn carved from a mixture of butter and bacon fat.

Its Unanimous!!! Marriage Equality in Iowa!!!

From The DesMoines Register:

The Iowa Supreme Court this morning unanimously upheld gays’ right to marry.

“The Iowa statute limiting civil marriage to a union between a man and a woman violates the equal protection clause of the Iowa Constitution,” the justices said in a summary of their decision.

The court affirmed a Polk County District Court decision that would allow six gay couples to marry.

The ruling is viewed as a victory for the gay rights movement in Iowa and elsewhere, and a setback for social conservatives who wanted to protect traditional families.

This is a great day for Gay and Lesbians in Iowa and in teh entire US fo it is the first time a mid-west state has granted marriage equality rights to us. Advocates will use this decision to show that even in the mid-west Gay and Lesbian citizens rights to equality need too be upheld.

A wonderful day!

Thursday, April 02, 2009

Marriage Equality News




It has been a busy day on the Equality front. The Vermont House is going to debate the Marriage Equality Bill before it. Governor Douglas has threatened a veto should the bill pass without 100 or more Representatives voting for it. They are to take up the measure at 4PM today. You can see the live feed here.

Meanwhile the Iowa Supreme Court will hand down it's decision in the case of Varnum vs. Brien. From Pam's House Blend:

The case, Varnum vs. Brien, involves six same-sex Iowa couples who sued Polk County Recorder Timothy Brien in 2005, after his office denied them marriage licenses. Polk County District Judge Robert Hanson sided with the couples in a ruling last year, but he suspended his decision until the high court speaks.

The case would have consequences outside the state's borders. Iowa would become the first Midwestern state to allow same-sex marriage and the fourth in the nation if the court sides with the gay couples. Legal experts say such a decision would echo across the country and strengthen the gay rights movement.

...If the court tosses the issue back into the hands of the Iowa Legislature, there are only about two weeks or so left in this session. Openly gay state Sen. Matt McCoy, D-Des Moines, said he doubts lawmakers would take any action on gay marriage this late.

"I would not anticipate that this body would want to take any action in the final, waning days of the session because there's so many other issues involving the budget and taxes but that would be a decision for the leaders to make," McCoy said.

Big doin's around these parts.

Plus:

The New Hampshire Legislature has passed (186-179) a Marriage Equality Bill and has sent it to the state Senate for a vote. Dems control that chamber 24-9. The Governor has not said whether he will sign the Bill.

How to turn your child gay...

A crash course


Wednesday, April 01, 2009

FHP Going Organic!


Mr. B & I have just joined Cape Cod Organic Farm's "CSA" (Community Supported Agriculture) Program. Here's how it works:
A $500 summer membership provides a family of four with a weekly box of vegetables picked as they ripen throughout the season. Box pick-up is every Thursday from 10-5 at the farm stand and each box is topped with a pretty bouquet of freshly cut flowers. As of September, each box will include a dozen farm fresh eggs! The summer CSA season runs from June 18th - November 19th.
Now there are only two of us in our little nest (not counting Preston, the Cat) so I suspect that I'll be doing a little preserving every week but it does sound like an exciting project for the next few months. Plus at about $23/week, it seems like a great bargain.

I can't wait!