Fifty years ago, two men came to the Boulder County courthouse, seeking a license to get married.
Marriage equality was not the law of the land in 1975. But Clela Rorex, the newly elected Boulder County clerk, could find
nothing in Colorado state law that would prevent her from issuing a marriage license to a same-sex couple. So, she did. And she issued five more in the next few weeks before she was ordered to stop.
Mardi Moore is the CEO of
Rocky Mountain Equality, an LGBTQ advocacy group based in Boulder. She was a friend and colleague of Clela, who died in 2022 at the age of 78.
During Pride Month, Erin O'Toole spoke with Mardi to learn more about Clela Rorex and that day she made history back in 1975.
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Host and Producer: Erin O'Toole
Producer: Ariel Lavery
Executive Producer: Brad Turner
Theme music by Robbie Reverb
Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions
In The NoCo is a production of KUNC News and Community Radio for Northern Colorado.
What is In The NOCO?
KUNC's In The NOCO is a daily look at the stories, news, people and issues important to you. It's a window to the communities along the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The show explores the big stories of the day, bringing context and insight to issues that matter. And because life in Northern Colorado is a balance of work and play, we explore the lighter side of news, highlighting what makes this state such an incredible place to live.