05/04/2009
Minnesota, Missouri Same-Sex Couples Board Marriage Bus to Iowa
Despite the fact that the marriages won't be recognized legally in their home states, gay and lesbian couples from neighboring states are heading en masse to Iowa to be married.
Seventeen same-sex couples from St. Louis, Missouri boarded a bus on Friday to wed in Iowa: "One by one, in a 90-minute-long ceremony at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Iowa City, each couple was joined together in a marriage officially recognized by the state of Iowa. 'It feels great,' said 58-year-old Mike Fienup, who married his partner of 15 years, Gerry Humphreys. 'We're citizens. We pay taxes. Why can't we be treated equal?'"
Their journey is chronicled in a beautiful slideshow at The Gazette. Above, Ryan Barker and his husband Lawrence Miskel, and their son William Miskel Barker.
Five same-sex couples from Minneapolis, Minnesota traveled to Davenport, Iowa over the weekend to get married: "The couples are all congregants of All God's Children Church in South Minneapolis. Once Hedgepeth and his partner, Kenn Anderson cross the border
back into Minnesota Tuesday, however, their marriage will no longer be
recognized. 'I say wherever you are married, you are married and the law will just have to catch up with reality,' Hedgepeth said"
Watch video of the Minneapolis couples and their journey to Iowa, AFTER THE JUMP...
Posted 10:35 AM EST by Andy Towle in Gay Marriage, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, News | Permalink
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Very happy for all these couples. Hopefully at some point fairly soon they'll get to marry in their own state, because nothing less than that will be acceptable.
Totally beside the point, but I think the couple with the 9-year-old son is totally adorable!
Posted by: E. | May 4, 2009 11:22:39 AM
Maybe it's because the weddings covered by the Gazette took place in my hometown, Iowa City, but I found that slideshow to be the most inclusive and moving of any coverage I have seen of same sex marriage.
Posted by: Jim | May 4, 2009 12:35:44 PM
Congratulations to all the happy couples. Those of us who believe in marriage, will recognize your marriage across the land.
Posted by: Rafael | May 4, 2009 1:44:29 PM
Love this blog and have been a silent reader for quite a while. The picture at the top of the story is me and my husband Lawrence and our son.
Our trip to Iowa was AMAZING! The mayor of Iowa City met us at the administration building when we got our licenses. She was so nice and welcoming. It wasn't ideal to go to Iowa to get married, but we wanted to make a statement. The day turned out to be much more of a personal and emotional experience (as you can tell) then I thought it would be.
Our son was nervous to go, but ended up loving all the attention (he is a fan of getting his picture taken. Can you blame him?)
Thanks for all the love and support that has come our way!
Posted by: Ryan Barker | May 4, 2009 6:08:29 PM
Ryan, I was touched by your photo and then I read your post! Thank you, thank both of you for standing up for you family and for what is right! I am very proud of all of those that made the trip. All of you are an inspiration.
Again, all the best to your family Ryan and Lawrence and congrats to you and yours!
Posted by: RB | May 4, 2009 8:01:58 PM
Ryan,
Congratulations on your marriage and thank you so much for sharing your experience with us. I can only imagine how wonderful it is to be married to the person that you love and wish to grow old with. I admire you for going to Iowa and letting America see how important the institution of marriage is for our families. Hopefully in a few years we will have the same rights in NY state.
Rick
P.S. You have a wonderful partner and son!
Posted by: rick | May 5, 2009 1:07:29 AM