Michael and Robert will apply for a marriage license in Tupelo, Mississippi on July 18, 2013 as part of the WE DO Campaign.
Robert, 31, a bartender in Tupelo, lives with his partner of almost 10 years Michael, 38, a receiving manager at Barnes & Noble. Robert was born in Wynnewood, Oklahoma and moved to New Albany, Mississippi in 2001. Michael was born in Tupelo, Mississippi.
You can read their story below:
Robert and I met in February of 2004 at Rumors, a small LGBT bar that would later be featured in the 2006 documentary “Small Town Gay Bar.” We were both there with friends and hit it off from the start. We didn’t exchange information that night, but I had a feeling we’d meet again. About a week later we ran into each other one night while we were both out in Memphis. We talked more and finally exchanged numbers and promised to get together the following week for dinner. Two years later we exchanged commitment rings in hopes that one day we would be allowed to get married legally, after that everything else is history, and with almost 10 years under our belt, three Bassett Hounds, and a Maine Coone added to our family we’ve never run out of things to talk about.
Over the years Robert and I have been through the whole gamut of emotions. We’ve been through the stress of buying of our first house together and the elation of Robert meeting his idol Reba McEntire. We’ve been through heartache with the loss of family and friends, and probably our most devastating period to date, the loss of our first Bassett Hound, Eli. We’ve stayed strong and been there for each other through worst of times and stood proudly together during the best of times. And now with the new Supreme Court rulings, we look optimistically towards the future in a world where we are all equal.
Send Michael and Robert a message of support here.
