#94 Kat and Kel

We are Kat (pink shirt), Kel (grey shirt) and Kuma (grumpy cat).
I (Kat) only came out to everyone about 2 years ago, when I met Kel, although I had known since I was a child that I was gay.

When I first came out, we experienced a lot of criticism from my family and (then) Church community. I was asked to step down from leadership at my church because ‘I wasn’t a good role model for young girls’. It was a difficult time, hearing people I cared about condemning me for loving a woman and saying that I was sinning. My mum was very upset and found it hard to adjust and understand that I was still me.

As we’ve been together, those around me have seen how happy I am and how much more ‘me’ I’ve become, and this has helped them to come on board and support us. My family has become much more supportive, and they love Kel (possibly more than they love me!). Thankfully I have also had the support of Kel’s family, my friends at my new church and friends at my work.

We are now in a place where we would like to be able to publicly declare our love for each other and our intent to support, care and grow together for our lives. Unfortunately, this is not possible in Australia, so we are hoping and waiting until the day that our love is affirmed by the Australian government via a marriage ceremony. Love is love, and we should be able to marry just like any other opposite-sex couple.