Kim Davis is the infamous Rowan County clerk currently refusing to issue marriage licenses to any couple in her jurisdiction. Davis is protesting the legalization of gay marriage across the United States, including Kentucky. She she recently filed an emergency appeal pleading for “asylum for her conscience,” giving her the ability to freely deny couples the right to marry. Davis refuses to resign from her position, or deputize another person to issue marriage licenses in her stead.
In February of this year, however, Davis issued a marriage license to a transgender man, whose birth certificate still identifies him as female. Camryn Colen and his wife, Alexis, who identifies as pansexual, got their license from the Rowan County office on February 26. Rowan County officials failed to ask for Camryn’s birth certificate. Camryn said:
She saw just a straight couple in love, and she should see everybody like that. She shouldn’t just see straight couples like that.
The Colens had previously opted to stay quiet about their experience, but recent events made them change their mind. Alexis said that “stuff has just escalated and gotten ridiculous,” which prompted their decision to come forward.
Davis was working when the couple obtained their license,
and even advised the staff member who was processing the paperwork. Camryn was surprised that the license was that easy to obtain and that, because his birth certificate still identified him as female “technically, they granted a same-sex couple a marriage license before it was even legal.”
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