LGBTQ+ Equality

Join other UUs, and others that share our values, in taking action.

Current issues:

LGBTQ+ Sunday Services

Links to LGBTQ+ Sunday services from Iowa congregations:

March 27, 2022 UUS Sunday Service: Trans Day of Visibility (UUS, Coralville)

UU Iowans LGBTQ Shared Sermon Project (Cedar Valley UU)

Links to LGBTQ+ Sunday services from other congregations:

UU’s: Standing on the Side of Love with the LGBTQ Community (UU Fellowship of Bay County, FL)

Courage and LGBTQ (UU Congregation of Cleveland)

PRIDE: Then and Now - June 13th, 2021 (First UU Church, Columbus, OH)

Building an LGBT Community in Our UU World (Cedar Lane UU Church, Bethesda, MD

Queer Your Faith

Queer Your Faith, Iowa

IUUWAN is working with OneIowa to promote a monthly service for both our UU congregations and outreach and support for the LGBTQ+ community.

Queer Your Faith, Iowa’s story

Queer Your Faith came out of Arizona’s UU State Action Network, UUJAZ, which had a grant proposal to hire a minister to give monthly services. The decision to tweak this – having our Iowa and neighboring states UU congregations supply the service seemed a better choice. Hiring a minister to give monthly services could easily cost thousands per year. When Iowa UUs host the service, an interested viewer can come and see a UU service in person. This also will encourage our Iowa UU congregations to produce regular, interesting services for the queer community. Services are the second Sunday of the month starting between 10 AM and 11 AM, depending on the congregation’s schedule.

How to see the services

All services are shown on Facebook Live. The Facebook Live event is monitored so questions can be relayed to the speaker. Unfortunately, we don't give out Zoom links as Zoom bombing is still a thing.

Go to our Queer Your Faith facebook page here.

LGBTQ+ Legislation and Issues in Iowa

One Iowa Action – a nonprofit working to preserve and advance the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) Iowans – conducts policy and advocacy work on LGBTQ issues facing Iowans, and tracks and provides other information about the Anti LGBTQ legislation considered, being considered, or that has passed in Iowa.

One Iowa will host a legislative session recap on May 11th at 6pm. Click here to register for this 2023 Legislative Session Webinar.

Uplift: UU services for trans and non-binary folks

Who is this space for?

This is a closed event specifically for trans/nonbinary+ people. Anyone who is trans, nonbinary, metagender, multigender, genderfluid, agender, demigender, genderqueer, questioning, and otherwise not wholly or entirely cis is welcome to attend.

OneIowa’s LGBTQ Empowering workplaces culture virtual summit

They gave suggestions for people on how to be involved in LGBTQ issues Here’s a link to promote a statewide series from One Iowa on LGBTQ Empowering workplaces culture virtual summit– it covers a few weeks but it’s still going on (Dec. 6 and Dec. 13) and it looks like each session stands alone.

Iowa Trans Mutual Aid Fund

Welcome to the Iowa Trans Mutual Aid Fund
We believe that every Trans, Nonbinary, and Gender Diverse Iowan should have access to gender-affirming care

Looking for Engagement with Iowa UUs–Volunteer Opportunities

We have spots on the board and on each of our task forces: Environmental Justice, LGBTQiA Justice and Racial Justice. Commitments vary–some as little as an hour or two every three months.

We are Unitarian Universalists!

We are Unitarian Universalists, people of many backgrounds who have different beliefs, but shared values. Together, we offer a guided path towards a better you and a better world. Get to know us in this short animated video.

Gender affirming care–the new rules

As of September 18, 2023, the ban on gender-affirming care for minors in Iowa is in effect. This means minors in Iowa receiving or wanting to receive gender-affirming care will no longer be able to in the state. While this law is devastating for LGBTQ youth and their families, One Iowa is here as a resource to guide folks through this transition.

Caring for our Trans Families

Join Regional Congregational Life staff and consultants for a national three session series that will empower congregational leaders to faithfully support our transgender/non-binary community members. In this series, we will examine what multi-faceted support looks like including pastoral support, structural support and resources to help congregations work toward radical inclusivity, and advocacy in the public sphere.