Same-Sex Marriage: A County Perspective
Polk County, Iowa
Sabreena N. Woods (woo[email protected])
Department of Sociology
Bowling Green State University
Legalization Timeline in the U.S.
2004 MA
2005
2006
2007
2008 CT
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2010 NH DC
2011 NY
2012 WA ME
2013 MD CA DE MN RI NJ HI NM
2014 OR IL OK VA CO WV AK AZ SC PA IN UT WI NV NC ID MT WY
2015 FL AL
Legalization of Same-Sex Marriage in Iowa
Number of Same-Sex Marriages: Polk County, 2009
Male – Male Female – Female
Total
% Out of
State Total
% Out of
State
May
63 18% 109 23%
June
22 46% 49 47%
July
20 85% 49 67%
August
27 82% 33 26%
September
18 50% 39 61%
October
20 60% 27 67%
November
18 83% 19 58%
December
9 78% 22 68%
Total
197 42% 347 35%
• January 2000: Same-sex marriage illegal under DOMA
• November 2005 – January 2006: Same-sex couples apply
for marriage licenses & denied in Polk County, Iowa
• December 2005: Couples filed suit against the Polk
County District Court (Varnum v Brien)
• August 30, 2007: Court ruled in favor of same-sex couples
• August 31, 2007: Sean Fritz & Tim McQuillan 1
st
and only
same-sex couple married in Iowa in 2007
• August 31, 2007: Judge issued stay on ruling pending an
appeal to Iowa Supreme Court
• April 3, 2009: Iowa Supreme Court votes to recognize
same-sex marriages
• April 27, 2009: Iowa began issuing marriage licenses to
same-sex couples
2013
Iowa State
Married
Men
667,652
(55%)
Women
674,738
(53%)
Married,
cont.
Same-sex
5,240—.4%
of married
Diff-sex
1,337,150
Median Age
1
st
Marriage
Men
26.9
Women
25.8
Cohabiting
Same-Sex
Men
2,474—3%
of cohabs
Women
2,228—3%
of cohabs
Cohabiting
Different-Sex
Men
79,646
Women
79,646
Marriage and Cohabiting Unions in Iowa and Polk County, 2013
2013
Polk County
Married
Men
93,534
(54%)
Women
96,620
(53%)
Cohabiting
Same-Sex
Men
528—4% of
cohabs
Women
728—5% of
cohabs
Cohabiting
Different-Sex
Men
12,691
Women
12,691
Source: http://data.desmoinesregister.com/dmr-public-records/marriages/?page=184
(accessed 8-13-14)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2013
Source: Badgett, 2015
• Polk County – most populous county in Iowa
451,677 in 2013
• County seat is Des Moines—also state Capitol
207,293
Photos’ Sources: Joshua Lott, New York Times; Kevin Sanders, Associated Press
