: A Very Surreal Victory, Tempered By Two Things... :

by The Educated Eclectic @ 10:26 AM

Well, what a great notice that came through on my listserv last night! New York Appellate Court rules that out out of state marriages must be recognized!

Woo HOO! Yay for all NY couples who married in Massachusetts, or Canada - and yay for ME ! I got married in Canada last September! And we live in New York!

But...wait a minute. My partner is here on a temporary visa. My partner is Canadian, and we cannot do a will, or hold any property together, and certainly cannot acknowledge so much as a registered city domestic partnership - much less call ourselves married other than to a few trusted friends....that would signal an 'intent' to stay and put any visa proceedings in jeopardy.

Our now-recognized marriage in New York will certainly not allow me to sponsor my now-recognized spouse for permanent residency (although I can automatically apply in Canada), just as many bi-national couples have discovered in Massachusetts.

So it is with a bittersweet feeling that I nonetheless am thrilled for my now-married brothers and sisters as they wake up today in New York to be legally-married for the first time. I certainly hope that Albany will not use this as a political issue to 'get out the conservative vote' by pushing for a new law similar to that in Massachusetts that will effectively de-recognize our unions.

And I certainly hope that type of discriminatory, backward-thinking legislature doesn't come before my spouse and I have a chance to sort out any permanent visa issues - whether in Canada or New York.

However, this ruling does go a long way to leaning us toward staying in NYC (as opposed to moving to Canada). Decisions, decisions...

Of course, the only place we own property is in our beloved South Beach in Miami, and we can see the way that state is going. Lots of knuckle-draggers on the road between Miami Beach and Tallahassee, and the GOP really needs to dangle out the queers on a skewer to get out the vote for their candidate in 08. *sigh

But for today - CONGRATULATIONS to all who start today as legally-married life partners in New York!

ee