Christian Kim Davis was jailed for breaching a court order forbidding her to stop denying marriage licences to gay couples on religious grounds, but she has received a little sympathy from a strange source - gay activist Ciccone, who has posted a message of support on Facebook.com.

He insists Davis has the right to refuse licences, and compared her "religious freedom" to that of a Muslim woman covering her face and hair.

The music video director wrote, "The county clerk deserves about as much support as you would give her if she were a Muslim (woman) who insisted on covering her face and refused not only gay marriage licences, but divorce, accusations of rape and driving a car without your man's approval.

"Once again, the gay community feels the need to be sore winners... Is it so difficult to allow this women her religion? Or must we destroy her in order for her to betray her faith. No matter how we judge, it's truth. The rights we have all fought for mean nothing if we deny her hers."