Iowa Markets to California Gays at Disney Land

Who would have ever believed that Iowa would be marketing to California gays to relocate to Iowa where their relationships and marriages will be recognized in contrast to the legal reality in California where mob majority rule stripped same sex couples of their civil marriage rights last November. Yet that is exactly what has been happening. The Orange County Register has the details on this remarkable juxtaposition from what one would normally expect. Personally, I would love to see Iowa successfully recruit gays in the creative class to relocate to Iowa and help make Iowa a center for innovation and progressive thinking. I continue to believe that in the long term states and regions that are gay accepting and afford same sex couples full marriage equality will outstrip reactionary and anti-gay states in terms of economic development and in the ability to attract desirable workers and businesses. Ultimately, anti-gay bigotry will have a real tangible price. One need only look at states like Mississippi and Alabama to see that backward thinking and bigotry are not engines for first class economic development. Here are some story highlights:

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Figuring that plenty of gay couples in California are frustrated by the inability to get legally married here, representatives from Iowa have set up a booth at Gay Days at the Disneyland Resort encouraging them to consider moving to the Hawkeye State.

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Two representatives for three regional visitors bureaus flew out for the three-day Gay Days, when 30,000 partipants roll into town to attend Disneyland. Gay Days is not sponsored by nor discouraged by Disney.

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At the booth set up inside Disney’s Grand Californian hotel, gay and lesbian couples sampled wedding cake and posed for photos inside a frame that read, “Just Married … In Iowa City!” The Iowa representatives took the free photos and supplied the tuxedo jackets and bridal veils. They also handed out brochures touting Iowa City, Cedar Rapids and Coralville, among other cities.

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“We want people to know that if the California Legislature is unwilling to take the step to give gay couples the right to marry, then please consider coming to Iowa where we will gladly welcome you with open arms,” said Joe Jennison, executive director of the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance.

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The booth also was staffed by Eric Heinkel, who is not gay, and is convention sales manager for the Iowa City Coralville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. Heinkel, who recently graduated from the University of Iowa and is originally from Chicago, said many businesses, including hotels and wedding-photography firms, and some churches, are eager to cater to the gay community.

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Here in Virginia, the homophobes like to parrot that Virginia is a business friendly state. However there is more to being progressive and welcoming to progressive businesses than low taxes. A fact that Taliban Bob McDonnell and Ken "Kook" Cuccinelli have yet to figure out.