What a tragically beautiful story. I teared up a bit, because it's just so deeply wrong to be forced to wait for a government ruling that may keep a family together, or may tear it apart.
And now to know it's all on the line again. My heart breaks for the innocent.
I did feel terror reading your story, Robin. Yours is a vivid illustration of how much more is at stake than not being able to marry the person you love. How thin a thread can be that's holding our lives together. I'm immensely grateful yours were held together after that ruling, and yet I know the thread is so thin once again. Anything I have to say about that feels hollow right now... Thank you for resharing this with us, friend.
Thanks for sharing this, Robin. Personal histories like yours are so important, especially for young queer folks. They are, among other things, testimonials of the really hard things we have survived and can survive. They also provide much needed hope that it's possible to not just survive, but thrive in the ways you have.
Thank you for sharing your story, Robin! My American partner (technically wife) and I went through a similar journey. We met in 2006 in Paris (where I am from), we did long distance for 1.5 years, after which I proposed in 2007.
After 6 long years of pouring money into a greedy immigration lawyer that allowed me to obtain all the possible student or temporary internship/work visas and scarce underpaid jobs, we finally got married a month after DOMA was struck down in July 2013. We rushed to our local city hall by fear of not being able to marry again if we waited (Prop 8 in California has already happened).
The most shameful part of it was that we had to ask our straight binational friends (who understood some of our immigration struggles) to sponsor me because my wife didn’t meet the federal income requirements due to getting her PhD and not making enough money as a TA!
Soph, I had no idea you went through something so similar! I’m glad to know your story a bit better now. It’s amazing how many of us go through these things, these mysterious struggles and hardships, and yet many people have no idea.
What a tragically beautiful story. I teared up a bit, because it's just so deeply wrong to be forced to wait for a government ruling that may keep a family together, or may tear it apart.
And now to know it's all on the line again. My heart breaks for the innocent.
I'm so glad you got to use the much better plan and only hope others will continue to do so x
I did feel terror reading your story, Robin. Yours is a vivid illustration of how much more is at stake than not being able to marry the person you love. How thin a thread can be that's holding our lives together. I'm immensely grateful yours were held together after that ruling, and yet I know the thread is so thin once again. Anything I have to say about that feels hollow right now... Thank you for resharing this with us, friend.
Thanks for sharing this, Robin. Personal histories like yours are so important, especially for young queer folks. They are, among other things, testimonials of the really hard things we have survived and can survive. They also provide much needed hope that it's possible to not just survive, but thrive in the ways you have.
Thank you for sharing your story, Robin! My American partner (technically wife) and I went through a similar journey. We met in 2006 in Paris (where I am from), we did long distance for 1.5 years, after which I proposed in 2007.
After 6 long years of pouring money into a greedy immigration lawyer that allowed me to obtain all the possible student or temporary internship/work visas and scarce underpaid jobs, we finally got married a month after DOMA was struck down in July 2013. We rushed to our local city hall by fear of not being able to marry again if we waited (Prop 8 in California has already happened).
The most shameful part of it was that we had to ask our straight binational friends (who understood some of our immigration struggles) to sponsor me because my wife didn’t meet the federal income requirements due to getting her PhD and not making enough money as a TA!
Soph, I had no idea you went through something so similar! I’m glad to know your story a bit better now. It’s amazing how many of us go through these things, these mysterious struggles and hardships, and yet many people have no idea.
Right!!! All these invisible struggles 🤯
🩵