WED IN STATES
Gold Coast couple Sarah Rivers and Elise Peate see plenty of irony in their situation.
Sarah, from the southern United States, was back home when she met Elise who was on a placement to the US from Queensland’s Southern Cross University.
After their relationship blossomed to the point they knew they wanted to be together, Australia turned out to be the better option thanks to a partnership visa enabling Sarah to join Elise here.
It’s not a visa that was available in America for Elise.
But ironically, the pair could get married over there, unlike here in Australia where marriage equality for same-sex couples does not exist.
“It’s quite bizarre,” Sarah, who works in medical sales, explains.
“We decided I would move over here – there was a same-sex partnership visa available. In the US, even though several of the states recognised gay marriage (at the time) ... there wasn’t any partnership visa so it was kind of forced on us but I love Australia so it wasn’t too bad of an option.”
A blanket ruling making same-sex marriage legal right across the United States for those areas that didn’t already have it was made last month.
Sarah and Elise, who are building a home in Palm Beach on the Gold Coast, didn’t bother waiting for that though to make the ultimate commitment to each other. They took the plunge in early 2014. They got married in Hawaii even though it is not recognised here.
Sarah, 28, says: “It’s interesting because everyone in the US tends to think of Australia as quite progressive and just assumes it would be legal here. And when the partnership visa first came out in Australia it was seen as quite progressive but we have fallen off a little bit and we’re not really progressive anymore which is a little bit surprising.
“I think in general with the Australian population, most people, are in agreement with (same-sex marriage equality) but for some reason it’s not happening which is a little frustrating.”
Sarah believes it should be put to a conscience vote: “That would be a fantastic first step. It is frustrating to see the current government not even letting the discussion begin to happen.”