First Same-Sex Marriage Performed In Tennessee In 2007

By Kleinheider Posted on May 11, 2009 at 7:56 pm

The Clarksville Leaf Chronicle reports that Jo T. Rittenberry and Jeffery Scott Phillips, both male, were married in November 2007 in Davidson County.

Rittenberry, born male, presented a Tennessee driver’s license identifying her as female to get the marriage license. The Tennessee license was based on a Kentucky-issued birth certificate she had had changed after an alleged surgical procedure.

That procedure was called into question in March when Rittenberry was arrested on unrelated fraud and assault charges and booked in a Montgomery County Jail. When officials patted down Rittenberry they determined her to be biologically male.

Regardless of whether Rittenberry is biologically male or female, the marriage is invalid. For the purpose of a marriage license, gender cannot be changed in the state of Tennessee.

UPDATE: Much more in today’s Clarksville paper.

When asked if Rittenberry had male or female genitalia, Phillips paused and repeated, “To me, she’s a woman.”

permalink | 3 Comments

Tags: gay, gay marriage, Jeffery Scott Phillips, Jo T. Rittenberry, same-sex marriage, transgender