Rooted Out

On a beautiful July 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.