Iowa's Gay Marriage Tourism Boost

categories: Gay Marriage, LGBT Rights and Business, LGBT Rights and Politics, Marriage Equality

Published August 31, 2009 @ 01:41AM PT

Iowa Gay Marriage

Iowa is one of six states that currently recognize marriage equality in the United States. It's the only one outside of the northeastern United States, and as might be expected, it's serving as a tourist destination for gays and lesbians from neighboring states looking to tie the knot. And that's not only a good thing for same-sex marriage, that's a good thing for Iowa's economy.

According to statistics released by the Des Moines Register, there have been 676 same-sex marriage certificates issued in Iowa between April 2009 and July 2009. Of those, more than 300 were issued to couples from outside of Iowa. That includes 57 from Illinois, 38 from Nebraska, 37 from Missouri, and 36 from Minnesota - all Iowa's neighbors. Nine couples from Minnesota alone got married this weekend in Iowa.

As the Williams Institute at UCLA Law School has documented, when states legalize same-sex marriage, their economy stands to improve. Why? Because of an injection of income into their state from couples planning weddings, and (in the case of Iowa) from couples and wedding parties from other states (where same-sex marriage is not legal) traveling and visiting. It's a small benefit of marriage equality - after all, civil rights are not at all about doing what's financially profitable and all about doing what's morally right. But it's still an important distinction to note.

This week will mark the five-month anniversary of the Iowa Supreme Court decision to legalize same-sex marriage. Sadly, organizations like the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) are looking to attack LGBT rights in Iowa, making it one of their state priorities to repeal marriage rights.

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Comments (9)

A boost in the economy? That justifies nullifying God's covenant design of marriage?

http://revelationrainbow.com/Licensed_to_Wed.asp

Posted by No Compromise on 08/31/2009 @ 06:47AM PT
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No, what justifies making same-sex marriage legal is the fact that (1) everyone is created equal, (2) it's discriminatory to treat one group of people differently from another, (3) God doesn't hate.

Too bad some of his/her followers do.....

Posted by Michael Jones on 08/31/2009 @ 07:05AM PT
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Love means telling the Truth, at the risk of being hated. Dunno what Bible you're reading, but God makes it ultimately and eternally clear that he hates sin but loves sinners - of which I am one.

Posted by No Compromise on 08/31/2009 @ 07:18AM PT
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Mr. no compromise...

1 : We dont live in a theocracy.

2 : Your god aint neccessarily the god of everyone.

3 : Discrimination is wrong.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 09/02/2009 @ 08:55PM PT
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"Love means telling the Truth, at the risk of being hated". So true. Isn't that exactly what homosexuals have been doing? They've been sticking up for love at the risk of being scorned and reviled by society.

Posted by Mara Rhys on 08/31/2009 @ 01:16PM PT
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Yep miss rhys...

They have been and I pray they always will.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 09/04/2009 @ 08:18PM PT
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Iowa is enjoying the great benefit of equality for the LGBT community and enjoying rising revenues from a very important right. Since Iowa is the only state in the Midwest recognizing same-sex marriage, it has become a beacon of LGBT equality in that region because many same-sex couples from surrounding states are tying the knot. The intolerant NOM is trying to oppress, but when the greatness of LGBT equality is planted, there shall be no villan to destroy it.

Posted by Edwin Bonilla on 08/31/2009 @ 01:17PM PT
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As an Iowan, I'm happy to hear of all the good things happening for the economy and for people getting married. After hearing Charles Grassley speak the past few weeks, I've been terribly worried about what's happening in Iowa. However, this is just one step that I'm really proud of and now I can give people another reason to visit Iowa!

Posted by Tsahia Hobson on 08/31/2009 @ 01:36PM PT
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MediaCurves.com just conducted a study with 851 viewers of an ad by Truth and Hope supporting gay marriages. The results showed that Democrats and Independents reported ‘happiness’ and ‘inspiration’ as the emotions they felt most during the ad while Republicans reported ‘disturbed’ and ‘happiness’ as the emotions they felt most while viewing the ad. The study also found that 83% of Democrats, 77% of Independents, and 58% of Republicans indicated that the ad was effective. For more in-depth results, please visit http://www.mediacurves.com/Culture/J7517-Truth-and-Hope/Index.cfm

Thanks,

Ben

Posted by Ben K on 09/01/2009 @ 01:17PM PT
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Michael is the Communications Director for the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School, and previously was Communications Director for Pax Christi USA, a progressive Catholic human rights organization.