In 1975, Boulder County’s clerk issued a marriage license to a gay couple. What happened next made history

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. 

It was a historic moment in the movement for LGBTQ rights, and her actions made her a hero -- and a target of backlash. 

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. 

In The NoCo’s Erin O'Toole spoke with Mardi in 2025 to learn more about Clela Rorex and that day she made history back in 1975. We’re listening back to that conversation today. 

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.