I'm a 50-year-old woman and I belong to a minority within two minorities: I'm a gay illegal immigrant.
I was born and grew up in a country where gay people are discriminated against in a very hidden way. Because of our European background, we think that we are very modern and open, so even when the discrimination is there, nobody would accept it. I think that's the worst way of discrimination.
I spent all my life alone. I always thought I was different or weird and it made me feel uncomfortable around other people but I didn't know what was going on with me. At the same time, because I was in the closet, I was able to know what society thought about gay people. When I found out that I was gay I knew I had to stay in the closet for the rest of my life. I thought I'll never be happy.
However, everything changed when I had the chance to come to the USA for my American dream, which wasn't money; it was love. Finally, I was in the land of freedom, I was in a country where rights are respected and where everybody has the same rights. Yes, I know, I was very naïve.
The day came when my visa expired and I had to decide between staying in the United States as an illegal immigrant with my partner or go back to my country to be alone and discriminated against for the rest of my life.
I spent the last seven years living with the most wonderful partner and we plan to spend the rest of our life together.
Today our life is very difficult, but we are happy. Because of the witch hunt against the illegal immigrants I couldn't work for almost three years and my partner has to support me, which is very depressing. My partner lost her job and, for a year, we both survived with her little unemployment. Now she found a job but things are still very hard for us; it doesn't matter that we both have college degrees.
Everything could be so much easier if I were straight because I could get married and my spouse would be my sponsor to became legalbut I'm gay. This situation is so ridiculous: if one of us had a sex change, we'd be able to get married and I'd be legal, but we are both women.
Because of all of that, this is what this moment means to me: I'm confident that our new president will allow us, gay people, to get married and/or illegal immigrants become legal. For the first time in my life I'll be equal.
Elena was born in South America, where she lived for 40 years. She was a successful radio and TV announcer for 25 years and a university professor for 10 years before coming to the United States in 2000. Since then she was working cleaning houses or running machines in factorieswaiting to be legalized and use all her education, experience and knowledge in the United States.
Because of her situation, her identity is being hidden.