MASON CITY, IA - Nearly four years ago, Dean Genth said his vows to the love of his life. Now he's making plans to read them again - but this time, it will be legal.
"There are 1,158 rights and privileges that come with marriage that we cannot enjoy," Dean remarked.
Until now. Friday morning, the Iowa Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of marriage for same-sex couples.
Dean said he "shed a lot of tears of joy for the first several minutes, and then my phone started ringing."
In between calls, Dean managed to run down to the county courthouse and apply for a marriage license. He and his partner are officially the first gay couple to make this request in Cerro Gordo County.
"Sometime when we can get a date on the calendar and make a nice event of it for all our friends and family and the communty, we'll go ahead and have the ceremony," Dean told KIMT News 3.
Dean's not the only one ready to tie the knot. Friday the County Recorder received several phone calls from people who want marriage certificates of their own. But, they're going to have to wait awhile. Technically, the court's decision isn't valid for three more weeks, and some believe it's not valid at all.
Bill Salier, co-founder of the group Everyday America, explained, "morally, I'm quite opposed to it. But that is still the aside. That it should never be in the courts to begin with."
Some same-sex marriage opponents believe the right for Dean to marry another man isn't a judicial issue, it's a legislative matter. And they want their representatives to have the chance to truly represent them.
"We are simply being ruled by a small number of people who we don't have control over at all," said Bill.
The decision can be overturned by a constitutional amendment. But Iowa's law requires two legislative sessions, and a vote of the people, for an amendment to pass. This means Dean can go ahead and plan his wedding - knowing it will be a valid marriage in the eyes of the law for at least a few years.
"It's going to be something we dreamed of and hoped for for many months, and we are just thrilled that new we can be equal in the eyes of the law," Dean added.
He pointed out this law does not make it a requirement for all churches to marry same-sex couples - it only applies to the legal aspects of marriage. Dean will have to fill out a new application for a marriage certificate. County recorders are getting an updated version which doesn't refer to "groom" and "bride".
Bill is making plans to oust every one of the Supreme Court judges. He said if legislators don't try to overturn this verdict, he'll work to elect new representatives who will.
