Phyllis & Helen
US & UK
Phyllis, 46, photographer, activist
Helen, 38, publisher, activist
“Helen and I fell in love in the summer of 2002 when I was living in England doing photo work for Helen’s magazine,” says Phyllis. Without the option to marry, they spent a few years going back and forth between countries depending on where they thought they could live legally. Eventually Helen was able, at great cost, to live in the U.S. on a student visa for two years but when it ended they had to leave for England. Committed to the fight for immigration equality, they took their predicament to Nancy Pelosi’s office where they were simply told, “We’re so sorry about the law, but there’s nothing we can do.” In a testament to the urgency of the fight for equal rights, Helen is often questioned by customs about her frequent visits to the U.S. so they are forced to pretend they’re just friends when they travel.
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