All the Hours Add-up to One Thing
Joanna is from New Zealand, Brittany is American, they love each other, so begins another tale of a same-sex binational couple forced into separation and exile.
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We invite you to watch this heartbreaking video then take action or make a donation to help aid the fight for UAFA.
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UAFA will pass, but together we will pass it sooner!
Thank you for including our story on your website! We’ve been pestering the people at Ellen Degeneres for a couple weeks in the hopes that, now that she is beginning to discuss GLBT issues on the show, she will share the video.
No such luck so far.
It is so nice to see you helping to get this story out there! There are so many thousands of people affected by this issue, and it absolutely needs to be brought into current conversations about same-sex marriages and rights.
Comment by Brittany and Jo — June 5, 2008 @ 5:40 pm
that left me in tears, this is all so unfair, this has to pass so people can live their lives with the ones they love.
Comment by pam hermens — June 6, 2008 @ 9:30 am
I have also contacted Ellen Degeneres, so far with no response. Thank you both for having the courage to share your story. It is time for the UAFA to pass. We need more people to share their stories. This is unfair and tears families apart. If this story did not break your heart, you are not breathing. 4UAFA.com
Comment by SeaMex — June 6, 2008 @ 5:09 pm
As I sat and watched this story I too was in tears because I too married a Belgium woman and we cannot live in the united states. I had to leave my career, my famliy, my 4 dogs and my friends. It has torn my family apart emotionally and the financial burden on me and my wife is beyond words. I support the UAFA in every way I can. I pray for our victory one day!
Comment by Lori Kerkes — June 8, 2008 @ 2:20 pm
yep. we need to get these storys out. People just don’t know what us 40,000 endure. If they knew they would work onit. I hope.
Comment by David — June 8, 2008 @ 5:29 pm
united states!!! is a Big and modern country. immigration equality is needed by popular demand. In my case, I love this country and I would like to be living here freely with my partner.
I think that from all the nation accepting this equality, United States should have been the first to do it, but they didnt.
It is not late, we can do something for all of the persons living with this same condition
Comment by diego — June 9, 2008 @ 1:21 pm
Wow…now this one hit me hard. I’m Canadian, one of the hardest parts of my own transition right now is figuring how how the hell to manage to stay in the US legally once I am no longer married. I have SO few options. I have my writing and my photography that could support me, but I can’t do either of them legally. The pull to go back home is strong sometimes, but then I’d be either leaving my girls behind (NOT GOING TO HAPPEN) or taking them from their father (equally unthinkable). And now that I’m in love with a woman I can imagine being with for a long, long time – leaving seems even more impossible…but then, so is staying. Thanks for sharing that video – think I need to get writing…
http://awakenings.blogsome.com
Comment by Jen — June 21, 2008 @ 11:08 am
’you are my sunshine’ is one of our favorites, too.
i agree with all that has been said here. financial burdens. far from family and friends. injustice of unequal rights. but the bottom line is really just…
sometimes, i just wish i could go home, you know?
-kati, writing from involuntary exile in argentina
Comment by kati — June 30, 2008 @ 7:01 pm
This got hard to watch, harder and harder as I’m in Venezuela, apart from my American partner for 1 1/2 years now. She comes here and got a mark on her passport because they find her often trips here “suspicious”. The US and Venezuela aren’t friends as everybody knows… she gets set aside and frisked as a terrorist just for being on her way to see her woman… and me, I’m trying to challenge the 10 year bar penalty as I’m even unsafe here for being obvious in my homosexuality. The whole 3rd world country crisis which in Venezuela means a crime rate that is unbelievable, inflation, etc. makes it very hard for her just to pick up her bags and just stay with me, but most importantly, she’s a mother…
I admit I cried at the scene from the video at the airport when I saw that horrible sadness in her eyes watching her woman go away because that’s me every time she lives… when will this injustice be over…
Comment by Alexandra — July 8, 2008 @ 5:13 pm
i’ve been through the same ordeal 3 different times, my partner is from NZ as well & only has a visitors visa. last time she was here customs told her she couldn’t come back for a very, very long time. the last time she was here was aug 07 thru feb. 08, even though we talk every night/day, i just wish i could hug & kiss her good night instead of “ill talk to you tomorrow, kiss”. thanks to brittany and jo for sharing
Comment by d! — July 21, 2008 @ 3:13 pm
I too am in the same situation and ironically leaving to go see my boyfriend in about 5 hours, who is back in Colombia after living in the USA for 8 years LEGALLY!!! I am headed south not for a vacation but to figure out what we are going to do? We are not going to let this situation break us apart but it will force me to live outside the USA for a number of years. It just does not seem fair…
Comment by Brant — August 17, 2008 @ 3:01 pm
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Comment by Green Card — July 26, 2009 @ 2:50 pm