Jolie Justus, Shonda Garrison from Justus' Facebook pageUPDATE: CNN is out with a new poll today addressing the issue of whether gay and lesbian marriages should be recognized by the law as valid. Results at the bottom of this post.
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Missouri state Sen. Jolie Justus of Kansas City on Friday boarded a bus for Iowa where same-sex marriage is legal to wed her partner of nearly two years, the Democratic senator said Sunday.
Justus said she married Shonda Garrison of mid-Missouri at a ceremony in Iowa City.
The two were one of 17 couples mostly from the St. Louis area that took advantage of the recent Iowa Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage in the Hawkeye State. Missouri does not recognize same-sex marriages, meaning that the marriage carries no legal weight back home in Kansas City.
The couples boarded a bus early Friday morning to make the trek to Iowa. Also on the bus were clergy members who came along to perform the ceremonies.
Justus, 38, said Friday was one of the best days of her life, but it also was bittersweet because of the marriage's non-standing in Missouri.
"We felt, though, that it was important that we be able to make that commitment to each other," Justus said. "My hope is that someday marriage will be recognized by Missouri and federally."
In 2004, Missouri passed a constitutional amendment that defines marraige as between a man and a woman.
Justus announced the union on her Facebook page. She said she had known Garrison, also 38, since their days in elementary school in Branson. The two also attended junior and senior high together, but hadn't seen each other for about 20 years until a couple of years ago.
Gay marriage is now recognized in three states, Justus said: Iowa, Connecticut and Massachusetts. The Maine and New Hampshire legislatures are considering measures that would legalize it.
Justus, a freshman senator, said she wasn't sure what the political response to her decision would be.
"I thought about it long and hard beofre making the decision to go ahead," she said. So far, she added, the level of support has been overwhelming.
What happens down the road, though, is unclear.
"You never an tell what political fallout there will be," Justus said.
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The nationwide CNN poll results:
Do you think marriages between gay and lesbian couples
should or should not be recognized by the law as valid, with
the same rights as traditional marriages?
(Margin of error is plus or minus 3 points).
Apr. 23-26 Dec. 19-21
2009 2008
Should be recognized as valid
44% 44%
Should not be recognized as valid
54% 55%
No opinion
2% 1%
Congratulations Jolie
That is wonderful news.