I happened to watch the webcast of Jon Stewart's interview with author David Rakoff on the Daily Show, and I was struck by the fact that Mr Rakoff has emigrated to the US at precisely the time that I am emigrating away from it.
Perhaps there are reasons he didn't elucidate in the interview, but I could only think, why? Why leave Canada? For that is where I and my partner are going.
Are we going for political reasons? You might say that...
But it is more accurate to say that we are tired of being second-class. Since his arrival in this country, after what was already six years of our relationship, he has been reduced in status to that of a student, utterly dependent on me for everything. By law he cannot work while in school. And he cannot get a real job until he graduates with a degree. It's been seven years of classes, starting with English as a Second Language, and even though he's closer to that elusive degree, there's no longer any guarantee of work when he's done. Which would put our relationship on two continents once more.
And yet, with a move to a new city and country just three hours drive to the north, our issues evaporate!
When we emigrate to Canada, my partner comes in as my common-law spouse. And can therefore work immediately. Yes, we'll be starting all over again, but I've done that twice already in the past fifteen years. Once more will be an adventure.
With all the bizarre anti-gay news coming out the US now (especially in Michigan, albeit far away from us in Seattle), our decision to begin this process several months ago seems righter and righter every day.