American Foundation for Equal Rights

Marriage News Blog

Moving Forward: Oscar and Arturo’s Love Story

AFER’s Love Stories series tells the stories of couples who are waiting to get married. If you are a gay and lesbian couple who is planning to get married, tell us your story and you could be featured.

Oscar Martinez and Arturo Ortiz of Atlanta have several reasons for wanting to get married, but their most important reason is family.  Not just any family, but the one they want to start.

“We have always known that we want to have a house with two kids and two dogs,” says Arturo. “We are very family-oriented – we’re ready!”

Adopting a child, however, is not going to be an easy process without being married. In order for a gay unmarried couple to adopt in Georgia, they have to do an open-ended adoption. After hearing about bad experiences, though, they are nervous to go that route.

“Friends of ours went through the process, and the mother changed her mind. That really intimidates us.” The couple is keeping their head high and working with a local gay and lesbian adoption association to help them with their process.

“We learned about some children in Mexico that get caught up in the system and we really want to help them out – so that’s the next step.”

Dream Wedding

Because they cannot legally marry here and do not want to wait any longer, Oscar and Arturo have a wedding planned for 2013 in Mexico City, where marriage is legal.

“The wedding is currently being planned and it will be our dream wedding to celebrate all that we have shared and all that is yet to be,” says Arturo.

Both Oscar and Arturo were raised in Mexico; so, it is only natural that they celebrate their nuptials with their friends and family in their home community. However, they will still have to wait for their marriage to be recognized in the United States

“We had a domestic partnership when we were living in Austin, but it was just a legal document. It was really nothing special,” says Oscar.

Focusing on the Love

Regardless of their trials and tribulations, Oscar and Arturo prefer to focus on their love and devotion to each other.

“No one knows me the way he does,” says Arturo about Oscar. “He’s my best friend, and he’s such a sweet person that keeps me grounded. We have grown as people together.”

“We have been through several changes. But every time, he never questioned the sacrifices he was making to be with me. He has always been supportive,” says Oscar of Arturo.

“We have gone through about a million and a half weddings at this point: friends, family, why can’t we have that? We have a relationship to be admired.”