Mayor embraces Pride despite his religious objections
CEDAR FALLS — This college town’s mayor added his support for a Pride proclamation in April after also sharing his personal religious objections to the gesture (The Gazette). “We don’t have to agree in order to love each other and to try to understand each other,” said Mayor Rob Green, after reversing his vote a week earlier on a Pride proclamation and agreeing to sign it. Green had first said April 21 that his Christian beliefs prevented him from officially supporting a proclamation declaring June to be Pride month and said another council member could sign the proclamation, The Gazette reported. His letter triggered social media outcry, and Green said May 4 he realized his comments had embarrassed his community and possibly put some in greater danger. Cedar Falls is home to the University of Northern Iowa, one of Iowa’s three public universities. The metropolis of Waterloo-Cedar Falls is also home base for two of Iowa’s leading LGBTQ+ Pride and community groups, the Cedar Valley LGBTQ+ Coalition and the Cedar Valley Pride Fest drawing tens of thousands to nearby Waterloo annually since 2012.
Animal torture now a felony in Iowa
A hard-fought effort to finally make animal torture a felony in Iowa reached its pinnacle Monday when Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill making the change (Humane World). Iowa had been the only state in the country that still declared animal torture only an aggravated misdemeanor, reports Humane World, which is the new name for the Humane Society of the United States. The change took eight years and a coalition that included not only animal welfare advocates and veterinarians, but also law enforcement. and domestic violence advocacy groups. “Law enforcement sees firsthand how animal cruelty cases intersect with broader patterns of violence,” Humane world quoted Iowa State Rep. Samantha Fett (R-Carlisle) the bill’s sponsor. Research shows pet abuse happens in 88 percent of families that are under investigation for child abuse, Humane World reports. Iowa’s new law treats malicious torture of a companion animal as a felony upon first offense, a law that some states like Ohio put in place a decade ago. The law does not apply to animals categorized as “livestock.”
Iowa suicide prevention chapter seeks volunteers
An Iowa suicide prevention group is putting out a call for volunteers to help out with Pride events this season, the upcoming Celebrasian event in Des Moines May 22-23, and local farmers’ markets. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention-Iowa Chapter is among more than 70 chapters in all 50 states. The nonprofit’s mission is to “save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide.” Research shows that while the rate of suicide overall has dropped in recent years after decades of increase, concerning trends still exist among LGBTQ+ youth, Vietnamese youth, American Indian and Native American people, Black men, and white men over the age of 65. If you’d like to become a volunteer for AFSP-Iowa Chapter, head to this page.
