For All Love, by Matt

I have always been one of those people that never wanted to get married. Honestly, I never even thought I wanted anything more long-term than six months. A perpetual singleton, I couldn't understand why people were even bothering to try and legalize marriage. Who needed it? That was my story …

… until I met Phil. I have never wanted anything more than to make one life out of two hearts now. We met when I was in the middle of planning a move cross-country to live in the land of Prop H8, sunny California. Our relationship wasn't fireworks or parades or pounding dubstep at first. I just thought he was pretty awesome (good lookin', too!), and we became friends. I originally never considered anything beyond that with Phil, seeing as we met in Arizona, I lived in central PA (was moving to CA), and he lived in Northern NJ. I didn't "do" long-distance – what a drag!

A simple text changed all that. Phil sent: "I just decided I have a crush on you." It's been long-distance, full-on romance since. We're currently engaged and have been keeping our cross-country relationship alive with few visits, lots of FaceTime, texts and calls. We are working our asses off to make this relationship work and to actually live on the same coast and build a life together. For all intents and purposes, we are married. We plan our life together, we talk about our dogs like their our children (yes, we're that couple), our families are fully supportive and have embraced us.

We just don't have a piece of paper… because our country and my state say that two loving, committed men who are working harder on their relationship than most aren't "married." They think we don't deserve the right to freely and happily pursue the love that makes us healthy and whole.

But we do. And one day soon, Phil and I will say "I do" on the steps of a federal courthouse.

I posed for NOH8 for love – all love that has been marginalized, persecuted and, sadly, destroyed.

Thank you for your hard work and for putting human faces on this discrimination.

Much love, NOH8.

Matt