[5][6] The marriage took place in Oskaloosa, Jefferson County, Kansas in September 1998 when Ball was 40 and Gardiner was 85.
In January 2002, he told a New York Times reporter that J'Noel's gender was an "illusion" and contrary to the "laws of God.
[8][9][10] The Kansas Supreme Court wrote that "a male-to-female post-operative transsexual does not fit the definition of a female."
[11] The ruling has also been described as "de-sex"ing transgender people, based on the court statement that the "words 'sex,' 'marriage,' 'male,' and 'female' in everyday understanding do not encompass transsexuals.
"[12] Because J'Noel was born in Wisconsin, and the laws of that state allowed her to change the sex on her birth certificate, the ruling was criticized for violating the full faith and credit clause of the United States Constitution.