Two individuals, both born as biological males, were recently married in New York City. How did such a thing get past the City Clerk's Office?
Well, one of them identifies as female, and didn't quite argue when the official who issued her Benefit Card put a big fat "F" on it. Based on her appearance and said card, the couple was able to successfully obtain a marriage license. Unfortunately, it is no longer valid…
Equally unfortunate? The New York Post's vaguely transphobic coverage of the incident. I'm a little irritated that they refuse to refer to Kimah Nelson as a "she", even if her documents include the "male" name Hakim.
It's also a little unnerving that they insist on stating that the couple fooled officials into a "gay marriage", especially when the other partner explicitly states that he considers his spouse female and does not identify as gay. The state may define their union as "gay" by law, but forget the technicalities–this is a marriage between a man and a woman. The woman just happens to still have her penis…
– Dewitt
This is why gender identity needs to favor SELF identity under state law. Until that happens, these problems will continue.