On December 9, 2008 the Iowa Supreme Court heard arguments in Varnum v. Brien, a case that is challenging the state's 10 year old ban marriage between same-sex partners.

Justices listened and asked questions for almost two hours as both sides in the case presented their arguments.  Among the legal counsel arguing that the ban is unconstitutional was Camilla Taylor, legal counsel with the Midwest (Chicago) office of Lambda Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

If the court finds the ban unconstitutional it could pave the way to make same-sex marriage legal in Iowa, which would be the first non-coastal state to adopt the practice.  LGBT people in Massachusetts and Connecticut have the legal right to be married; in addition those marriages are accepted as legal by the state of New York.

California, which did offer equal marriage rights, ceased doing so after adoption on November 4, 2008 of Proposition 8 which amends the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage.  The validity of their proposition is being questioned by many legal organizations and a challenge seems certain.

source: The Rainbow Connection, January 2009, published by The Advocacy Council for Human Rights