Leaving Home

Aug 01st, 2011 07:52 PM By Shannon

My family had to leave the US because my partner and son are not American citizens. They are Australian citizens. Our son is 19 and has lived in the US since he was 8. Their visa expired in October, 2010. To stay together, we had to move to Australia.

Even though my partner and son are Australian citizens, Australia is not their home. Imagine living most of your life in a place you love with people you love, then having to leave because you weren’t born there! Immigrating to Australia was easy for me because they allow same-sex partners to sponsor. However, I cannot sponsor my partner so we could live in the US.

We left our home, our family, and our friends. A life we all loved and miss so much.

Living in Exile

Aug 01st, 2011 07:49 PM By Connie

I met my partner in 2003 in Portland,Oregon. She was the most beautiful woman I had seen and I immediately fell in love with this woman from Turkey. Little did I know at the time, the immigration laws of the USA would not allow me to do anything for my partner.

My partner had a pending asylum application in the U.S. which was little chance of being approved because it was filed after the one-year deadline and we were soon being told to look for other options.

In 2005, we both came to Canada as refugees. I couldn’t believe I had to do that just to be with the person I loved. It made me sick and angry. We are both citizens now in Canada but long to return to the place we feel home.

I Give a Damn because I am living in exile to be with the love of my life.

Can’t Pursue Happiness in My Own Backyard!

Aug 01st, 2011 07:47 PM By Susan

I didn’t set out to fall in love with a woman from a different country, but that’s what happened. I’ve been working in Asia for over 5 years, and met a lovely Australian woman. I’m retiring in less than two months, and moving back home to the United States, but my partner can only stay in North America for 90 days each time. It’s going to be financially hard for us to have to leave the country every 3 months.

It doesn’t (yet) work for us to marry, even though I’m lucky enough to live in a State that recognizes same-gender couples. Until I can sponsor her for a green card as my spouse, it’s risky for us to marry. It could mean she is stopped at immigration and denied entry.

I give a DAMN about being able to exercise one of the in alienable rights guaranteed in the Declaration of Independence – the pursuit of happiness. And I want to do just that – in my own back yard!

My True Love . . . in Romania

Jun 01st, 2011 03:37 PM By Steven

After developing a long-term relationship on the internet, I decided I wanted to meet my Romanian friend, in real life, to make sure that he was who he said he was. I traveled all the way to Bucharest, Romania and met him for the first time in 2008. He was all that I thought he was and more. Cristi was the most sincere, interesting and beautiful man I had ever met. Love at first site? Well, for me yes, but I’m sure he was influenced by his own country’s oppressive atmosphere toward gay persons. Yes, my own society is not so warm towards gay people either, but his is worse. At a gay pride parade, allowed by law there, but not really encouraged at all, one of my gay Romanian friends was hit over the head with a bottle, and sent to the emergency room of an unnamed hospital. He never saw the bottle coming, and police were standing by, and did nothing about the incident, other than to help the man get to the hospital, after the fact. Police there have been known to “look the other way” when discrimination and violence is perpetrated against the gay victim.
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Crossing the Pond Everyday for Love

Mar 23rd, 2011 01:14 AM By James

My wonderful partner and I met 2 years ago and fell in love instantly. I live in the US and he lives in the UK. Over the years, we have spent all our money to go back and forth and see one another. Just last month, we met in Toronto and got married in a small private ceremony. It was the best moment in my life, but hurt so much when I had to come back into the US as a person still of ’single’ status. I now have to choose whether I stay apart from my partner or abandon my country, friends and family and move across the world to be with him.

Every day in this country, people get married and divorced, so many times in a silly, non-serious ‘Las Vegas’ style. The divorce rate in this country is more than half. People have 6, 7, 10 divorces and are still allowed to marry. But because I found someone I love and someone else down the street doesn’t approve of it, I have to pack up my bags and not only leave that neighborhood, but that country and continent. I give a DAMN about equality because I should not have to give up everything else in my life just to be with the one I love. The US would lose a very productive member of its society if I left. But, until everyone gives a damn, I don’t have much choice.

I Loved Living in Seattle, But…

Mar 23rd, 2011 12:57 AM By Jon

I met and fell in love with my partner 5 years ago and we went back and forth between UK and US until he was refused entry in May of 2008. Immigration claimed he was leaving and re-entering the US to be with me and avoid having a proper visa. We knew that since we had no rights as partners to get him into the US to be with me, the only way we could be together was for me to come here to England.

I quit my great job at the University of Washington in Seattle, sold nearly everything I own and moved here on a 6 month visa. I had to leave my friends, my job and my family, which includes my sister and her husband who has incurable cancer. We have entered into legal civil partnership here and I have extend my visa so I can stay in England with Keith for at least another 2 years.

I will pursue permanent residency this summer in order to remain with my loving partner. I miss my home and we both want more than anything to return to the US as partners and live out our lives there but I will remain here with him as long as I have to. It isn’t right or fair that I had to choose to leave my country in order to be with the love of my life! Please support all efforts to establish immigration equality for all loving couple regardless of orientation! We need your help!

Kept Apart By Pure Discrimination

Jan 03rd, 2011 04:30 PM By Mary

Our story is so similar to many others so I will keep it short. My partner is a US citizen and I am from New Zealand. We have been in a fully committed relationship for nearly 3 years now and are engaged. I have been to the states 3 times and will be visiting again soon. It is hell. My partner has 4 teenagers and cannot move to New Zealand even though we can get married here and she will get legal status. I try every day not to lose it mentally.

I still cannot believe that a country that is suppose to be the posterboy for freedom and western values, still treats certain hardworking decent citizen’s like dirt. I do love America, but the ignorant and bigoted that have no problem in denying people their happiness, when it is not hurting others, should hang their heads in shame.

Why

Dec 29th, 2010 09:19 PM By Johnathan

To understand my motivations you must know something of me. A little taste of who it is I am as a person and what it is that would compel me to make such a irrevocable statement not just to a church but God himself. You see when the time for us to stand and make a difference comes, we have little control over the where and when of it all. We do what is right. We do it when it needs to be done, and we hope that our message does not fall upon deaf ears.

First I am a man, then a father, a brother, a son, and hopefully a good friend?

As a child…

As a child I lived a somewhat normal life in a rather large family not unlike many of you. I was always different and to be honest, I was always told how different I was by those around me. I don’t recall many days as a kid that had gone by when I was not told I was gay by my brothers or sister. But we were just kids right? I forgive them for this and hold no ill towards them now for their actions while we were young. My father however found in me, a perfect victim. One his insecure mind could wrap around and torment to no end. I guess my walk or my talk was off just enough to meet the fancy of his sometimes horrific ways. You see I have always known I was gay, after all I had been told so since as far back as I can even remember. Little did they know how spot on they were while they jokingly tore my world apart.
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Married in Germany

Dec 14th, 2010 02:36 PM By Lois

My girlfriend is German and I’m an American, We moved to Germany a little over a year ago. The adjustment to a new culture has been a challenge for me, learning a new language, and the general discomfort of acclimating. However, the most amazing day came in July of 2009, when we were married, this afforded me the right to a visa and many other advantages. We are a married couple.

This is impossible in the US. Its unreal to me that same sex marriage is still an issue in the US, this coupled with teen suicide and gay bashing, I wonder why more gay people do not become ex-patriots. It’s critical that the American people respect the human rights of everyone, gay, straight, transgender, white, black, whatever. This is the future of a healthy nation. Let’s move forward, so the next generation can enjoy the freedom of the path we have forged, be proud to uphold same sex marriage. Be an educated and open American.

Immigration

Dec 13th, 2010 10:27 AM By Sonny

I have been married to my husband for almost 8 yrs now, we got married in Amsterdam, we decided to move to the US to be with my husband’s family as his mother is old, and now he has grandchildren. He is now working in a hospital. I on the other hand have been using my tourist visa, as I am not allowed to be sponsored by my husband, its not LEGAL.

I am so astounded by how backward US is when it comes to equality, and yet US goes to every corner of the world preaching freedom and equality,
I am so astounded that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people still don’t have equal rights as straight,
I just wish that the government will come to its senses that, human rights are basic rights for every human being, not just for the few.

My husband and I are lucky enough that if there is a time that there is a problem with immigration for us to live in the US, there is still a place for us to be where we are very accepted. I do feel bad that he will again leave his country and have to be away from his children, grandchildren, and parent.

I am positive though that everything will work well for all humans, and let’s just pray that it will be soon, that no life will be taken for the government to act.