Momentum continues in South Dakota as several same-sex couples gear up for a lawsuit challenging the state’s ban on same-sex marriage.

South Dakota
The Rapid City Journal published “Gay, married and back in South Dakota: How one lesbian couple will push back against state’s gay marriage ban, and the prevailing culture” on Monday, chronicling the journey of a lesbian couple from South Dakota to Minneapolis to get married and then back to South Dakota to file a lawsuit for the right to be legally wed.

They married in Minnesota and applied for a name change on their drivers licenses this week but were denied, an action that kicks off the lawsuit process.

That couple is joined by another same-sex couple, and on Monday it was announced that a third couple will join the lawsuit against South Dakota.

At the same time, a South Dakota legislator is taking heat for anti-LGBT comments. Rep. Steve Hickey recently penned a letter to the editor comparing LGBT people to garbage (the paper decided not to publish it), which he stands by.
“The reactions that I’ve received are an indication of why people are afraid to speak out,” Hickey told the Argus Leader. “I’m having people describe how they want to rape me and hurt me. It’s a really dark underculture.”

He doubled down on his comments. Hickey told Argus Leader’s 100 Eyes that same-sex romance was comparable to “eight of your friends that you’re in love with to tak[ing] a dump in your bed.”

Iowa
A newspaper editor in Newton was fired after a scathing blog post that called LGBT people the “deceivers among us” and called gay groups the “Gaystapo.”

Wisconsin
The University of Wisconsin has joined the You Can Play initiative, which seeks to end homophobia in sports. The Badgers have created a video to show their support.

The LGBT community in Wausau is planning the second annual March for Equality after last year’s successful event.