MASON CITY, IA - It's a YouTube video that grabbed worldwide attention.
One year ago then University of Iowa student Zach Wahls testified to the Iowa House of Representatives urging them not to pass a constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage in Iowa.
Wahls was raised by two women who married after the Iowa Supreme Court legalized gay marriage in 2009.
Since that speech Wahls has been spreading his message across the country.
The Mason City High School Gay Straight Alliance hosted Wahls at an event at NIACC. While Wahls is famous for his Iowa Legislature speech, today he focused more on life of current high school students and how pressures and stereotypes have changed over the years.
He also said groups like gay straight alliances can help alleviate some of those issues. Students who organized the event say they're thrilled Wahls was able to speak to the Mason City group.
“We thought who would be someone we would really want to have come and speak to our GSA and we came up with Zach Wahls; we shot him an email and he was kind enough to open it up to the public and come speak to us,” said Sahan Jayawardena, vice president of the Mason City High School Gay Straight Alliance.
Wahls also said the past year has been a whirlwind of activity. In the time since he spoke in Des Moines he has gone to running a business full time, has spoken at countless events and is even working on his first book deal.
Gay marriage is now legal in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont and Washington, D.C.
