I'm sure most of you gender activists have heard by now, but for those of you who woke up late this morning, gay marriage has come to Iowa! The State Supreme Court of Iowa unanimously struck down a 1988 law which restricted marriage between a man and a woman. Iowa is the first mid-western state, and first state on the interior to approve gay marriage.

The court has given the state legislature three months to implement the decision, which means gays across Iowa will be able to jump on the summer wedding bonanza. Iowa joins Massachusetts and Connecticut as the two other states which permit gay couples to wed. New Jersey and New Hampshire both offer civil unions, which approximate marriage rights. We have yet to see how marriages in Iowa will be recognized in other states. New York recognizes same-sex marriages in other states, but whether or not these unions will be honored in states like California, are yet to be seen. I also don't know if Iowa has any residency stipulations like Massachusetts does.

Gay Marriage legislation also passed in Vermont, but that is likely to be vetoed by the republican governor. Still, good news in queer news today!