North Dakota
Two weeks ago, North Dakota lawmakers in the state House voted down a measure that would have banned anti-LGBT discrimination in the state. The fallout from that decision has led to a robust debate about such discrimination.

*The Red Raven Espresso Parlor in Fargo told the lawmakers that voted against the bill that they would not be served, WDAY reports:

That’s why, a day after the measure to ban discrimination failed, the Red Raven is brewing up a ban of its own. Effective immediately, if you’re among those who voted against Senate Bill 2279 you’ll be shut out completely from the Red Raven.
Curry, “We’re soley basing that on age, gender, race, beliefs, color, religion or disability.”
But no-voters can get special priveleges.
Curry, “They’re welcome to come in if they’re accompanied by a gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer or asexual person.”

*Meanwhile, after the vote, Gov. Jack Dalrymple, a Republican, expressed disappointment that fellow Republican voted down the measure. He then announced a memo asking members of his administration to refrain from discriminating based on sexual orientation, the Associated Press reports:

North Dakota’s Republican governor sent a memo to 17 government departments on Monday saying discrimination against anyone is unacceptable, just two hours before every Democrat in the Legislature delivered a letter calling on him to go further and issue an executive order prohibiting bias against gays and lesbians.
Gov. Jack Dalrymple’s chief of staff sent the letter to all agency directors appointed by the governor.
“This administration expects all cabinet agencies to hire employees and to maintain agency staff based on ability and performance,” Chief of Staff Ron Rauschenberger wrote. “Ours remains a policy of non-discrimination, including no discrimination based on sexual orientation.”

*The same day, The North Dakota Democratic-Nonpartisan League Party (DEM-NPL), which the Democratic Party is known in North Dakota, issued a letter to Dalrymple asking for an executive order banning discrimination:

DEM-NPL legislators signed and sent a letter to Governor Dalrymple today asking him to issue an executive order prohibiting discrimination on the basis of a person’s sexual orientation when it comes to state employment. The letter, signed by every DEM-NPL state senator and representative, comes on the heels of the defeat of SB 2279 in the House of Representatives on Thursday, which would have added sexual orientation to state law that already protects against discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, or public assistance.

*Dalrymple’s memo to state agencies asks them to ban discrimination, but a policy passed in 1981 may also apply, ABC News reports:

Former North Dakota Gov. Allen Olson said Tuesday he “probably” considered lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people when he crafted a nondiscrimination policy for state employees 34 years ago.
Olson, a Republican who was governor from 1981 to 1984, told The Associated Press that the intent of his 1981 executive order was to treat “human beings as human beings.”
“That’s the way I felt,” said the 76-year-old Olson, who now lives in Minneapolis. “I had a father who was very much a person who accepted all human beings regardless of their failings and that was very influential on me.”

*The lack of an executive order, however, has led to headlines like the Jamestown Sun’s “State employees may be protected from LGBT discrimination.”

*In the Grand Forks Herald, columnist Mike Jacobs explained the vote and the political fallout:

It’s OK to be disappointed about last week’s House vote denying protection to homosexuals seeking homes or jobs.
Embarrassed even.
But not surprised.
North Dakota has a record of this sort of thing.
This is the third time the state House has rejected the bill.
Don’t expect a change anytime soon, either. The politics are against it….
After the vote, Gov. Jack Dalrymple issued a statement lamenting the bill’s failure. Probably his timing was innocent enough. North Dakota enforces a strict separation of powers, and the governor is not welcome in the legislative halls except on ceremonial occasions. Governors rarely comment on pending legislation, and they are forbidden by the constitution to threaten a veto.
Besides, early involvement offered Dalrymple no political advantage. Since the bill seemed destined to fail, supporting it would have set the governor up for embarrassment, and it might have prompted opponents of the bill to act against him in later elections—something Dalrymple takes care to avoid.
The bottom line then: Disappointment, frustration and a difficult political challenge for supporters of gay rights.

*A student at the University of North Dakota has launched petitions to get nondiscrimination passed in North Dakota, the Grand Forks Herald reports:

A student here has started two online petitions calling for equal rights for the state’s gay people.
A White House petition, with 132 signatures as of Monday night, will need 100,000 in order to receive a response from the Obama administration. A second petition, on change.org, reads in part, “You don’t need to agree with everyone’s sexual orientation but you do need to protect those you represent.”
“I’ve been hearing a lot of people say that they’re very disgusted or they disagree with the House voting down the bill. I think if people have a way that they can easily take two seconds out of their day to sign a petition and maybe share it on social media, then that’s a way that they could voice their opinion or disapproval,” University of North Dakota student Caroline Gallegos said.

*U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp addressed state legislators on the issue, WDAZ reports:

Speaking to the House chamber, where Republicans hold a 71-23 advantage, the Democrat and former North Dakota attorney general called workforce development and retention “the biggest single challenge we have.”
She noted the state is spending big on its “Find the Good Life in North Dakota” marketing campaign to recruit workers to fill its 23,000-plus job openings.
“But I think slogans have to reflect reality, and all that effort can be completely undone if we don’t have policies that welcome and retain the next generation of workers,” she said. “So issues in the past that have seemed really irrelevant to economic growth, I think, now take center stage.
“First, I think we can’t be a state that is seen to discriminate.”

Iowa
*While many states, including Iowa, have legalized same-sex marriage, some federally recognized tribes such as the Sac & Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa ban same-sex marriage, ABC News reports. The Sac and Fox have a policy that states: “Same gender marriages prohibited. Only persons of the opposite gender may marry.”

*Iowa State Pride Week begins this week, the Iowa State Daily notes:

Wayne Glass, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Student Services intern and practicum coordinator, said he’s most excited for Sam Brinton’s talk about going through conversion therapy.
“I can’t wait to hear about his lived experience and story,” Glass said.
Pride Week is a celebration of diversity in the local LGBT community.
Glass also said he’s looking forward to Wednesday’s “Wear Rainbow” theme. This can range anywhere from simply wearing a rainbow pin or ribbon, or fully utilizing one’s wardrobe and dress completely head to toe in rainbow. The Ames community is welcome to join as well.

*The Gazette took a look at whether Iowa could see the same “religious freedom” battle that Indiana saw two weeks ago:

In Iowa, however, which has no such so-called religious freedom law, its laws addressing LGBT rights and protections are considered progressive.
“That’s my sense of it,” said Matt McCoy, a gay state senator from Des Moines. “One of the major steps we took was the 2007 ban on discrimination (of LGBT people). That was the Civil Rights Act. That, obviously, was one of the most progressive civil rights steps that any state could take.”

*A Catholic high school denied a gay man a teaching position because of his sexual orientation, KCCI reports:

A local man said he was denied a teaching job because he is gay. Now, the leader of the Des Moines Diocese is speaking out.
Tyler McCubbin said the Dowling Catholic High School president made him an offer for a full-time teaching position, but later revoked it based on his sexual orientation.
Bishop Richard Pates is the leader of the Des Moines Diocese. He said that McCubbin wasn’t denied the job because he’s gay, but due to the openness of his sexual orientation.
“We accept everybody, we love everybody. Everybody is always welcome within the context of the Catholic Church,” Pates said.

In a statement to the Des Moines Register, Pates said it was about same-sex tendencies:

Des Moines diocese Bishop Richard Pates released a statement to media Tuesday explaining that while the Catholic Church “calls for us to accept those with same-sex tendencies,” it also teaches that “marriage is a sacrament between a man and a woman.”

Students at the Catholic high school staged a walkout to support McCubbin, the Des Moines Register reports:

A group of Dowling Catholic High School students and alumni turned out for a planned class walkout Wednesday to protest the school’s decision to not hire a teacher who administrators found out was gay.
“I just want the community to know that this is a really important topic, and that just because our school officials or diocesan leaders might have made this decision, it does not directly reflect what we believe as students,” said GraceMumm, a 16-year-old sophomore at Dowling Catholic High School.
More than 150 students and alumni — as well as supporters from surrounding cities — gathered in the rain for the walkout and participated in prayer.

One Iowa, the states LGBT advocacy group, released a statement about the controversy:

Donna Red Wing, Executive Director of One Iowa, says: “America’s first freedom is freedom for and freedom from religion. As a result, it’s important to note that Dowling Catholic High School is within its rights as a private religious school to deny the hiring of Mr. McCubbin. However, we wonder what kind of message this sends to Dowling students who may identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or questioning. As the Catholic Church struggles with these important issues, One Iowa both respects and acknowledges its constitutional rights as well as the dignity and well-being of Dowling LGBT and allied students.
“In addition,” Red Wing says, “we commend the students and alumni at Dowling Catholic High School who have chosen to turn this unfortunate scenario into a learning opportunity for others by staging a peaceful protest. It’s obvious that many students at Dowling Catholic High School are open, affirming and welcoming of the LGBT community, and they are making sure their voices are heard. While we are disappointed with the school’s decision not to hire an openly gay teacher, we hope school officials will nonetheless encourage its students and faculty to be respectful as they begin to engage in civil dialogue around these important issues of LGBT equality.”

*Meanwhile, a Catholic student at a different Iowa school, came out to his family and wrestling coach. Out Sports has Cole Fox’s story.

*Johnson County, which encompasses Iowa City, is experiencing an increase in sexually transmitted infections, CBS 2/Fox 28 reports:

Johnson county public health officials are trying to get a handle on what they see as a concerning issue with sexually transmitted infections. The Public Health Department monitors trends in STI rates very closely, but in recent years, they’ve seen an uptick in the number of syphilis cases, specifically among men who are gay. In response, they’re offering free screenings to those who are considered at-risk. They say awareness on the topic is also important. Health educator, Cody Shafer says, “We just really want to encourage families and friends to have upfront conversations about the risks associated with STDs.” The department also offers several other free screening services.

*A man has been arrested and charged with sending a death threat to the Blazing Saddle in Des Moines, KCCI reports:

The letter contained slurs toward members of LGBT community, police said.
The powder was later determined to be harmless.
Acting on an anonymous tip, detectives made contact with Eric Reece Wiethorn, 49, of Ames, who police said admitted to sending the letter.
He was arrested and charged with first-degree harassment. He was taken to the Polk County Jail.

*The Gay-Straight Alliance at Des Moines East High School won the GSA of the Year award, the Des Moines Register reports:

The Gay-Straight Alliance at East High School was named the GSA of the Year at the Iowa Conference on LGBTQ Youth.
The East High group received the inaugural award in part for its reaction to a planned protest by the Westboro Baptist Church in January.
Hundreds of East High students hosted a “Love Rally” outside the school Jan. 26 in response to the group. Members of the controversial Kansas church never showed up, but students used the opportunity to celebrate the school’s diversity and community.

*The 2016 presidential campaign continues in Iowa with Republican candidates seek the support of the religious right, and target the LGBT community in the process. Mike Huckabee was in Iowa to speak at the Family Leader, the Des Moines Register reports:

In his own words: “The values that many of us hold dear are values that are under assault today. I never believed that in such a short period of time the culture of America would go into utter collapse. If you had told me just a few years ago that one day the president of the United States would use his precious time in the Oval Office to call people simply to congratulate them for being gay, I’d say, surely he’ll call a veteran and thank them for their service for losing a limb or a leg. When Chris Kyle was murdered, his widow didn’t get a phone call, but a gay football player who came out did.
” … I met with a couple this morning here in Iowa. Their business (Gortz Haus Gallery)is going out of business because they were sued over the fact that they were holding wedding services in their chapel. They’re Christians. They love God. They were approached about doing a same-sex marriage. They said, ‘We love you. We don’t hate you. But we can’t embrace a ceremony that for us is not just a civil event, it is a sacrament. … Here in your state, that couple got fined. That couple was found to be discriminating against the same-sex couple and they are now going out of business because of it. Who’s next? Who’s next?”

*Texas Sen. Ted Cruz visited an Iowa homeschool group last week, Right Wing Watch reports:

During a presidential candidate forum hosted by an Iowa homeschool group yesterday, Ted Cruz lashed out at the gay community for waging a “jihad” against so-called religious freedom laws in states such as Arkansas and Indiana.
Cruz, speaking at a panel moderated by conservative talk show host Steve Deace, who regularly castigates the “Rainbow Jihad,” told the crowd of homeschooling activists that they should fear “the jihad that is being waged right now in Indiana and Arkansas, going after people of faith who respect the biblical teaching that marriage is the union of one man and one woman.”
By condemning this gay “jihad,” Cruz said, he could “bring people together” to defend religious freedom.

Wisconsin
*American Spectator writer Jeffrey Lord speculated about the controversy over “religious freedom” in Indiana, and how that might play out in the business of gay Wisconsin Congress member Mark Pocan. Lord wanted to know if the business, Equality Promotions, would make a sign for the Westboro Baptist Church.

Well aside from that tiresome staple of identity politics in that response from Pocan in the Hill (the bit that always comes across as “How dare you insult me and my group identity!” — otherwise known as liberal code for “double standard”), there is the obvious question here: Is Equality Promotions within its rights if it refused to print Santorum’s hypothetical Westboro sign were they asked to do so? Or is a United States Congressman involved in running a business that is open to discriminating against groups he doesn’t like?

The article continues to go after Pocan, assuming that he either wouldn’t respond, or wouldn’t make the sign. Pocan’s business did respond, however, undercutting the entire point of the article:
“UPDATE: Equality Promotions has responded: ‘We will print for anyone, as we don’t discriminate.'”

*Wisconsin allows same-sex couples to marry, but as ABC News reports, at least one federally-recognized tribe does not. The Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin has a law that states: “A marriage may be contracted under this law between two (2) adults who … are of the opposite sex.”

South Dakota
*Minnehaha County, which encompasses Sioux Falls, has adopted a policy that forbids discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, the Argus Leader reports:

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are now protected in writing under Minnehaha County’s equal opportunity and affirmative action policy.
Commissioners amended the county’s hiring and harassment policy Tuesday to add LGBT individuals to the list of classes protected under federal hiring and employment discrimination laws. One commissioner voted against the change, arguing that the LGBT community was already protected and that federal officials shouldn’t get to write local rules.
“I feel it’s covered now. I don’t think we need to change it,” Commissioner Dick Kelly said following the 4-1 vote. “I get mad when they start telling us to wordsmith our own policies.”