2007

The Iowa Legislature passes two laws of significance to the LGBT community: a statewide anti-discrimination measure, and an anti-bullying law for Iowa schools.

2009

The Iowa Supreme Court in Des Moines on April 3 unanimously – and emphatically – upholds the right of gays to marry. Iowa becomes only the third state in the U.S. – and the first in the heartland – to legalize same-sex marriage.

Photo by Christopher Gannon, Associated Press

Dawn BarbouRoske, second from left, of Iowa City leans towards her partner, Jen BarbouRoske, after learning of the ruling. Between them is their daughter Bre, 6. Their other daughter, 11-year-old McKinley, left, reacts to the ruling.

Women’s Resource and Action Center Facebook Web site

Later that day, the BarbouRoske family joins about 200 supporters on the east lawn of the Pentacrest of the University of Iowa campus celebrating the historic ruling.

Organizations and Clubs Vertical Files Collection, University of Iowa Archives

Meeting announcement of the UI transGroup, “for folks who transcend gender binaries.”

Image design courtesy of Laurie Haag

The Advocate ranks Iowa City as the nation’s third-gayest city.

2010

The Iowa City Press-Citizen names Dawn and Jen BarbouRoske, a lesbian couple, as “Persons of the Year” for 2009. The BarbouRoskes were among the plaintiffs who successfully challenged Iowa’s so-called defense of marriage law, resulting in the landmark 2009 Iowa Supreme Court ruling.