Logline
When two men are denied a marriage license in their hometown, the town attempts to erase the incident from public record. Over the course of a year, the couple's supporters fight for justice and an accurate narrative of events.
When two men are denied a marriage license in their hometown, the town attempts to erase the incident from public record. Over the course of a year, the couple's supporters fight for justice and an accurate narrative of events.
Story
On a beautifulJuly day in 2018, Dylan Toften and Thomas Hurd arrive at their town clerk's office in Root, New York to apply for a marriage license. Upon walking in, the town clerk explains that issuing the men a license would violate her religious beliefs. The men soon learn that this is not the first time the town clerk refused to issue a marriage license to a same-sex couple. As Dylan and Thomas seek equal access to public services in their home town, the Town of Root downplays these efforts in public records and attempts to curtail public access to open meetings. In a time when the visibility of historically marginalized people is critical to acceptance and success, those in power attempt to control official narratives to the detriment of that visibility. Rooted Out examines issues of power, personal freedom, and civil rights.
On a beautifulJuly day in 2018, Dylan Toften and Thomas Hurd arrive at their town clerk's office in Root, New York to apply for a marriage license. Upon walking in, the town clerk explains that issuing the men a license would violate her religious beliefs. The men soon learn that this is not the first time the town clerk refused to issue a marriage license to a same-sex couple. As Dylan and Thomas seek equal access to public services in their home town, the Town of Root downplays these efforts in public records and attempts to curtail public access to open meetings. In a time when the visibility of historically marginalized people is critical to acceptance and success, those in power attempt to control official narratives to the detriment of that visibility. Rooted Out examines issues of power, personal freedom, and civil rights.
Timeliness
Why is it important to tell this story now?
This wasn't the first time the town clerk of Root denied a same-sex couple a marriage license. We've also heard similar stories in Kentucky and other jurisdictions. Alabama's legislature went as far as passing a work-around bill this year that supports judges who wish to opt out of signing marriage licenses for same-sex couples, effectively ending marriage licenses in the state. While some tout this as an inclusive act, it was born out of the personal biases of a few judges. As we see in the Alabama case, the Root example, and other examples, some government officials continue to seek work-arounds that would exempt them from issuing licenses due to personal biases.
Furthermore, mounting attacks to LGBTQ+ equality and protections have recently reached the Supreme Court . As the megaphone is passed on to homophobic and transphobic efforts, discriminatory actions seek legal justification and protection. As long as pockets of bias pervade some local and state governments, so does the threat of legal or political actions to condone denial of service. In other words, what should be a simple, uncomplicated act of purchasing a service, maintaining a job, or applying for a marriage license becomes traumatic for LGBTQ+ identified people whose actions are challenged by biased shop owners, employers, or government officials.
At town meetings in Root, New York from 2018 to 2019, attendees spoke out against the actions of the town clerk. These were either minimized, misinterpreted, or omitted from meeting minutes authored by the town clerk, herself. We've also seen examples of this in challenges to the authoring of the U.S. Census and in town records.
Rooted Out is being produced at a time when political, legal, and social forces seek to undermine LGBTQ+ gains. The documentary becomes a record of events that are omitted in Town of Root documents.
Why is it important to tell this story now?
This wasn't the first time the town clerk of Root denied a same-sex couple a marriage license. We've also heard similar stories in Kentucky and other jurisdictions. Alabama's legislature went as far as passing a work-around bill this year that supports judges who wish to opt out of signing marriage licenses for same-sex couples, effectively ending marriage licenses in the state. While some tout this as an inclusive act, it was born out of the personal biases of a few judges. As we see in the Alabama case, the Root example, and other examples, some government officials continue to seek work-arounds that would exempt them from issuing licenses due to personal biases.
Furthermore, mounting attacks to LGBTQ+ equality and protections have recently reached the Supreme Court . As the megaphone is passed on to homophobic and transphobic efforts, discriminatory actions seek legal justification and protection. As long as pockets of bias pervade some local and state governments, so does the threat of legal or political actions to condone denial of service. In other words, what should be a simple, uncomplicated act of purchasing a service, maintaining a job, or applying for a marriage license becomes traumatic for LGBTQ+ identified people whose actions are challenged by biased shop owners, employers, or government officials.
At town meetings in Root, New York from 2018 to 2019, attendees spoke out against the actions of the town clerk. These were either minimized, misinterpreted, or omitted from meeting minutes authored by the town clerk, herself. We've also seen examples of this in challenges to the authoring of the U.S. Census and in town records.
Rooted Out is being produced at a time when political, legal, and social forces seek to undermine LGBTQ+ gains. The documentary becomes a record of events that are omitted in Town of Root documents.
