Today marks a progressive day in the state of Iowa. I’ve invited Tanya Keith, owner of Simply For Giggles, to join us with a guest blog on her experience today. For more info on this ruling, click here. It’s just one more reason it’s great to Live In Des Moines.

I’ll admit it, when I moved to Iowa in 1992, it was a little against my will. I was excited to be together with my soon-to-be fiance, but Iowa? Let’s just say growing up in New Jersey, I didn’t give Iowa a whole lot of thought, but if I had, “progressive Midwestern state” would not have come to mind.

What better time than now, when faced with a shortage of workers, and needing to become more competitive economically, to present Iowa as a 21st century state? The caucuses could not have done any better for positioning Iowa as a forward thinking, revolutionary place that the world should be paying a little more attention.

Iowa had already attracted my sister in law, Barb, back to Iowa from Chicago about a year ago. She was stuck in traffic and saw a billboard advertising Iowa’s “rush hour” as a business man getting rushed by his kids in the driveway. We love having her and her partner Betti here where they can watch our kids grow up and be more involved in their lives. But when they moved here, I wondered if they would struggle to be welcomed back to Iowa as a lesbian couple in the same way we talk about welcoming young Iowans back after they’ve seen the outside world.

Today, I got my answer, and I am thrilled! I’m tired of trying to explain to my daughter that while Betti loves Barb the same way I love Barb’s brother (Dad to my daughter), until now they couldn’t get married. I told her that it didn’t make any difference to us, or to her status as flower girl, but the truth is, it makes a huge difference. They already had been committed to each other for years, they don’t need a commitment ceremony, they need a marriage, and now it can be theirs, and ours to enjoy for them.

It’s another great day in Iowa history. Iowa has become the 3rd state in the nation to legalize gay marriage, and the timing couldn’t be better. For Iowa, this decision isn’t about whether you agree with the politics, it’s about presenting Iowa as a place that’s modern, progressive, and tolerant. A place that will welcome a young Jewish entrepreneur from New Jersey as well as an Iowa raised lesbian returning from Chicago. Betti and I will spend the day gloating to Washington and New Jersey, our respective home states. States that can only say they are progressive.

You can follow Tanya on twitter @TanyaKeith

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