Bee Criswell was three months into a new relationship when they hurried through the doors of a Davenport church and grabbed some seats. They wanted to celebrate with close friends and other familiar faces who packed the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Quad Cities that night on April 3, 2009. The Iowa Supreme Court had just ruled same-sex marriage legal in the case of Varnum v. Brien, and the decision was unanimous. It was a historic victory for the state's gay and lesbian couples and a sign of hope for others across the nation who had long waited for the day their union would be recognized in the eyes of the law. But memories of that joyous event are clouded by a cold reality. Criswell is among many Iowans who say it is hard to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the landmark case as anti-LGBTQ bills sweep through the Iowa Legislature. Even the lead plaintiffs of the case — Trish Varnum and her wife, Kate Varnum — say they have considered leaving the state if they no longer...