Addressing a Standing on the Side of Love Rally at GA 2010

B = Dr. Benjamin Maucere     H = Rev. Dr. Holly Horn

B: On April 3, 2009 the Iowa State Supreme Court unanimously legalized same-sex marriage! Soon after that, I got a call from Ed Reggi, an activist based in St. Louis. He planned to bring a bus to Iowa City with 18 same-sex couples, and the several clergy who would officiate at some of their weddings. I talked to Holly right away – we realized instantly that we had to create a short—no more than 90 minute—interfaith liturgy in which each couple would have their special moment in the sun—intimate—magical.

On May 1st, lay leaders of the Unitarian Universalist Society of Iowa City welcomed the first bus—with banners, balloons, and a rainbow cake. A few months later, another bus. Then another! Between May of 2009 and 2010 we married 58 same-sex couples. In 2011 we expect to reach 100!

H: We could say so much about the weddings: the emotional intensity; how there was just more love than one room could contain! Some young couples, starry-eyed lovers, others who’d been together for many years, never expecting to marry. We could speak of being allies and offering hospitality… but we really want to stress the potential for social transformation.

B: We are working to normalize same-sex marriage. When people who live in a marriage inequality state learn that they have gay and lesbian friends, neighbors, and co-workers who are legally married in another state, it makes the idea less scary and more, “of course—why not?

B: So today we celebrate the weddings we’ve performed, and we also urge you to organize buses to states where same-sex marriages are legal. Go to show-me-no-hate.com and learn how the St. Louis organizers did it! Work with LGBT organizers in your community!

Charter a love bus to a UU congregation! Stand on the side of love!