{"id":621458,"date":"2024-05-22T20:58:41","date_gmt":"2024-05-22T17:58:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/we-came-to-canada-to-be-a-family\/"},"modified":"2024-05-22T20:58:41","modified_gmt":"2024-05-22T17:58:41","slug":"we-came-to-canada-to-be-a-family","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/we-came-to-canada-to-be-a-family\/","title":{"rendered":"#We Came to Canada to Be a Family"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a40e18ae4f50\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a40e18ae4f50\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/we-came-to-canada-to-be-a-family\/#Get_the_Best_of_Macleans_straight_to_your_inbox\" >Get the Best of Maclean\u2019s straight to your inbox.<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"wp-block \">\n<div class=\"ad-free-zone\">\n<div class=\" mx-auto max-w-full w-full -mt-20 laptop:mt-0 laptop:pt-20 max-w-[600px] laptop:max-w-[945px]\">\n<div class=\" max-w-full aspect-[945_\/_630] laptop:h-[630px]\"><img alt=\"\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"1000\" height=\"700\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"w-full h-full object-cover\" style=\"color:transparent\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 945px\" srcset=\"\/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F05%2FJAIME-CONSTANTINO_BY-CLAUDINE-BALTHAZAR072.jpg&amp;w=640&amp;q=75 640w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F05%2FJAIME-CONSTANTINO_BY-CLAUDINE-BALTHAZAR072.jpg&amp;w=750&amp;q=75 750w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F05%2FJAIME-CONSTANTINO_BY-CLAUDINE-BALTHAZAR072.jpg&amp;w=828&amp;q=75 828w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F05%2FJAIME-CONSTANTINO_BY-CLAUDINE-BALTHAZAR072.jpg&amp;w=1080&amp;q=75 1080w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F05%2FJAIME-CONSTANTINO_BY-CLAUDINE-BALTHAZAR072.jpg&amp;w=1200&amp;q=75 1200w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F05%2FJAIME-CONSTANTINO_BY-CLAUDINE-BALTHAZAR072.jpg&amp;w=1920&amp;q=75 1920w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F05%2FJAIME-CONSTANTINO_BY-CLAUDINE-BALTHAZAR072.jpg&amp;w=2048&amp;q=75 2048w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F05%2FJAIME-CONSTANTINO_BY-CLAUDINE-BALTHAZAR072.jpg&amp;w=3840&amp;q=75 3840w\" src=\"https:\/\/macleans.ca\/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F05%2FJAIME-CONSTANTINO_BY-CLAUDINE-BALTHAZAR072.jpg&amp;w=3840&amp;q=75\"\/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"all-small-caps text-grey\"> <!-- -->photography by claudine balthazar<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"max-w-[640px] laptop:max-w-[600px] mx-auto px-20 laptop:px-0 py-20 laptop:py-20\">\n<div class=\"text-smm leading-smm laptop:leading-smxl font-sans laptop:text-base text-grey font-lightmedium\">As a gay couple in the Philippines, we\u2019d forever have been glorified roommates. Here we have the future we want.\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"author\">BY JAIME CONSTANTINO<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"max-w-[640px] mx-auto py-20 px-20\">\n<div class=\"mb-8 flex gap-6\">\n<div class=\"relative inline-block\"><button aria-label=\"Sharing Button\" class=\"rounded-xl border border-grey-light px-12 py-6 hover:bg-grey-lighter transition-colors\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" fill=\"none\"><g clip-path=\"url(#share_svg__a)\"><path stroke=\"#121212\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" d=\"M2.419 15.525c1.286-1.37 4.661-4.275 9.458-4.275V15l6.25-6.25-6.25-6.25v3.75c-4.125 0-9.413 3.941-10 9.027a.313.313 0 0 0 .542.248\"\/><\/g><defs><clippath id=\"share_svg__a\"><path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M0 0h20v20H0z\"\/><\/clippath><\/defs><\/svg><\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"fixed laptop:absolute max-laptop:bottom-0 laptop:top-[calc(100%+20px)] left-0 right-0 laptop:right-auto w-full laptop:w-[190px] p-20 rounded-lg bg-white font-sans shadow-[0px_0px_10px_rgba(0,0,0,0.15)] invisible\">\n<ul class=\"list-none p-0\">\n<li class=\"border-b border-b-grey-light text-dark last:border-b-0 group\"><button class=\"flex items-center gap-10 py-7 group-last:pb-0 w-full font-light group\"><span>Copy Link<\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"border-b border-b-grey-light text-dark last:border-b-0 group\"><button class=\"flex items-center gap-10 py-7 group-last:pb-0 w-full font-light group\"><span>Email<\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"border-b border-b-grey-light text-dark last:border-b-0 group\"><button class=\"flex items-center gap-10 py-7 group-last:pb-0 w-full font-light group\"><span><a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Facebook<\/a><\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"border-b border-b-grey-light text-dark last:border-b-0 group\"><button class=\"flex items-center gap-10 py-7 group-last:pb-0 w-full font-light group\"><span>X<\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"border-b border-b-grey-light text-dark last:border-b-0 group\"><button class=\"flex items-center gap-10 py-7 group-last:pb-0 w-full font-light group\"><span>LinkedIn<\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"border-b border-b-grey-light text-dark last:border-b-0 group\"><button class=\"flex items-center gap-10 py-7 group-last:pb-0 w-full font-light group\"><span>Whats<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">App<\/a><\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<li class=\"border-b border-b-grey-light text-dark last:border-b-0 group\"><button class=\"flex items-center gap-10 py-7 group-last:pb-0 w-full font-light group\"><span>Reddit<\/span><\/button><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"uppercase text-xs leading-normal font-sans text-grey font-lightmedium\">May 22, 2024<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap     undefined\"><strong>In 2011, I was studying economics <\/strong>at a university in the Philippines. That year, I joined a musical theatre group on campus, and a friend of mine joked that I was replacing another member in the group: a guy a little older than me who\u2019d graduated with a communications degree and was leaving the country to work abroad. I only met him once before he left\u2014and in that brief meeting, neither of us had any inkling the other was gay, though I definitely felt attracted to him.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">In 2016, we saw one another on Tinder. We reconnected, and though it sounds clich\u00e9d, we entered a kind of whirlwind romance. He\u2019d just ended a five-year relationship weeks before, and I\u2019d recently come out of a relationship myself. We were cautious about how fast we were falling for each other (I knew he was a catch, but I was scared I\u2019d be a rebound for him). It took a couple of years, but we moved in together in 2018, setting up a life as a couple. And as we began to plan our future, we realized our lives as gay Filipinos would always be difficult. Since colonization by the Spanish in the 1500s, the Philippines has had a strongly traditional Catholic culture\u2014today it\u2019s one of only two countries in the world where divorce is illegal (the other is Vatican City). Being gay isn\u2019t illegal, but the gay community has long struggled to get anti-discriminatory laws passed, and gay rights aren\u2019t really part of the national conversation. Early in our relationship, we received a lot of stares when we held hands in public, especially from curious children who would be hurriedly taken away by uncomfortable parents, or disgusted aunties who would shake their heads disapprovingly. Our parents constantly told us not to have children; they were afraid the child would be subject to bigoted behaviour from peers. It\u2019s a shame, especially because prior to colonization, our culture was very accepting of people who don\u2019t fit gender or sexual binaries.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">A lot of our friends were in heterosexual relationships, and they knew the Philippines doesn\u2019t have legislations that protect the LGBT+ community, but even they didn\u2019t understand all the challenges we\u2019d face. Without the ability to marry or even to be recognized as common-law, my husband and I would never have the same rights straight couples did to own property together. We wouldn\u2019t be able to adopt children as a couple, and if one of us adopted singly and then died, the other would have<strong> <\/strong>no relationship with the child in the eyes of the law.<strong> <\/strong>We heard about a case where this happened to a friend of a friend\u2014we don\u2019t know why, but their partner\u2019s family took the child away. There are no inheritance laws for gay people in the Philippines. Even at the hospital, if my husband ended up in the ICU, I wouldn\u2019t be allowed in to see him. In other words, we could live together as a couple, but we couldn\u2019t be a family as far as the state was concerned. Instead, we\u2019d forever be roommates.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">We knew we\u2019d have to emigrate to live the life we wanted\u2014it wasn\u2019t a matter of if but where and when. In addition to the lack of official acceptance for our sexuality, we had other quality of life issues. Corruption and pollution are prevalent in the Philippines. The government doesn\u2019t plan for the future very well, and heat waves and flooding are becoming increasingly common. Part of that is simply due to the natural environment, which is more susceptible to disasters than in many other places, but part of it is the lack of preparedness of the society. When I was in university, I experienced Typhoon Ketsana, which caused massive flooding in Manila due to a dam breaking. A lot of close friends had their homes destroyed. Officials later discovered that the dam was compromised during construction due to corruption. Then, on a sales assignment straight out of university, I experienced Super Typhoon Haiyan, which ravaged the eastern Philippine islands. These are core memories for me. I resented the Philippine government for how poorly it planned for disasters, and how it handled recoveries in the aftermath. Climate change is recognized, but most politicians sit on their hands. It\u2019s like being gay: everyone knows it\u2019s there, but it isn\u2019t officially acknowledged.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">When we brought all our reasons to the table, our friends were in full support of us moving. We got married in New York City in 2021, even though we knew it wouldn\u2019t be recognized in our home country. We wanted to celebrate ourselves in a space that allowed us to. It was in the middle of the pandemic, during Omicron, so we had a small ceremony outdoors in Central Park with friends who already lived in the U.S. Our families celebrated with us via livestream from the other side of the world.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">Our marriage certificate definitely accelerated our immigration plans. We wanted a country with a clear-cut immigration policy, so the U.S. was out of the picture\u2014its lottery system, which selects applicants at random, was just too uncertain. I know friends who have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to attend university in the U.S., only to be rejected when applying for permanent residency. It goes without saying that Canada\u2019s LGBT-friendly official policies, like recognizing gay marriage, put it high on the list for potential destinations, but so did its points system for assessing potential immigrants, which awards points based on work experience and education and other factors. It doesn\u2019t guarantee permanent residency, but the criteria are clear-cut, making it something you can work toward. And we felt we were good candidates. I worked as a key account manager at Procter &amp; Gamble in the Philippines, and I had founded a successful consulting business with partners. My husband worked in marketing roles at Google Singapore, <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/trip-and-travel\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Trip &amp; Travel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">travel<\/a>ling back and forth to visit me in the Philippines. We wanted to move somewhere we could excel with our skill sets, and where business was conducted primarily in English, which we\u2019ve spoken alongside Tagalog since we were kids. (Language ability is another notch in the points system.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide \"><img alt=\"alt tag missing\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" style=\"color:transparent\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 100vw\" srcset=\"\/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F05%2FJAIME-CONSTANTINO_BY-CLAUDINE-BALTHAZAR073.jpg&amp;w=640&amp;q=75 640w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F05%2FJAIME-CONSTANTINO_BY-CLAUDINE-BALTHAZAR073.jpg&amp;w=750&amp;q=75 750w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F05%2FJAIME-CONSTANTINO_BY-CLAUDINE-BALTHAZAR073.jpg&amp;w=828&amp;q=75 828w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F05%2FJAIME-CONSTANTINO_BY-CLAUDINE-BALTHAZAR073.jpg&amp;w=1080&amp;q=75 1080w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F05%2FJAIME-CONSTANTINO_BY-CLAUDINE-BALTHAZAR073.jpg&amp;w=1200&amp;q=75 1200w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F05%2FJAIME-CONSTANTINO_BY-CLAUDINE-BALTHAZAR073.jpg&amp;w=1920&amp;q=75 1920w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F05%2FJAIME-CONSTANTINO_BY-CLAUDINE-BALTHAZAR073.jpg&amp;w=2048&amp;q=75 2048w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F05%2FJAIME-CONSTANTINO_BY-CLAUDINE-BALTHAZAR073.jpg&amp;w=3840&amp;q=75 3840w\" src=\"https:\/\/macleans.ca\/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcms.macleans.ca%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2024%2F05%2FJAIME-CONSTANTINO_BY-CLAUDINE-BALTHAZAR073.jpg&amp;w=3840&amp;q=75\"\/><figcaption class=\"w-full text-left\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">I arrived in Toronto last summer, a couple of days before him. There were moments when I was in awe of the comparative efficiency of Canada\u2019s systems. I planned out a bunch of administrative tasks on the second day I was here, thinking they would take me a week to complete. I joked to my husband that I did it all in four hours. Setting up a SIN, getting a phone line; these kinds of things take forever in the Philippines. I was even impressed with the public transportation\u2014at home the routes don\u2019t go where most people need them, and commuters are packed like sardines. I know some Torontonians gripe about the TTC, but it\u2019s relatively efficient compared to the transport system back home.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">Our first weeks in Toronto were mostly spent walking around, and what we experienced reaffirmed that we\u2019d made the right choice. Even something as simple as the abundance of public parks was a new experience. Manila hardly has any, and the pollution is often too toxic to enjoy them. There\u2019s a layer of persistent grey smog there that I didn\u2019t realize was unusual until I started travelling abroad. The weather is also a lot more conducive to walking here\u2014yes, even when it\u2019s cold. One of the first things I noticed when getting off the plane in Canada is how easy it was to simply breathe. There are times at home when people are advised not to step outside because of the heat. My family sends me the heat indices that show 50 and 55\u00b0 C. People die from heat exhaustion in the Philippines, and heat waves and storms are only getting more common and more extreme as the climate warms.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">Today I\u2019m studying for an MBA at the University of Toronto, and it\u2019s been an amazing journey, challenging myself and being exposed to some of the top minds in Canada. I felt like a big fish in a small pond in the Philippines, but now I feel I can take my career to the next level. And my husband was able to transition from his role in Google Singapore to Google Canada.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"    endstyle undefined\">I know I\u2019m lucky. My mom supported me coming out from the beginning, and my dad eventually accepted me, despite his religious convictions. I\u2019m grateful to have a husband who is such a forward thinker and so talented. I know our story isn\u2019t necessarily a common one for gay people in the Philippines, and a lot of gay people struggle more to be accepted by their families there. And of course there are still challenges ahead in Canada as we look toward applying for permanent residency. Though there\u2019s greater earning potential in the job market here, breaking in is tougher. And as everyone knows, the housing market here is very difficult. But we\u2019re happy to make our lives in a place that\u2014as painful as it is to say\u2014deserves us.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block wp-block-core\">\n<p class=\"     undefined\">\u2014<em>As told to <em>Angus MacCaull<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block \">\n<div class=\"ad-free-zone laptop:px-0\">\n<div class=\"max-w-screen-desktop mx-auto px-20 tablet:px-40\">\n<div class=\"wp-newsletter-signup max-w-screen-desktop mx-auto w-full py-20 my-20 tablet:my-40 tablet:py-80&#10;          border-t-3 tablet:border-t-[6px] border-dark bg-white\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col tablet:flex-row max-w-[800px] w-full mx-auto tablet:items-center\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col tablet:w-7\/12 space-y-10 text-center tablet:text-left px-20\">\n<h2 class=\"text-red\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Get_the_Best_of_Macleans_straight_to_your_inbox\"><\/span>Get the Best of <em>Maclean\u2019s<\/em> straight to your inbox.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"newsletter-subtitle font-sans text-sm leading-xm tablet:leading-smm font-lightmedium text-grey\">Sign up for <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news<\/a>, commentary, analysis and promotions. Join 80,000+ Canadian readers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more News articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/general\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">General category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/macleans.ca\/society\/we-came-to-canada-to-be-a-family\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>photography by claudine balthazar As a gay couple in the Philippines, we\u2019d forever have been glorified roommates. Here we have the future we want. BY JAIME CONSTANTINO Copy Link Email Facebook X LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit May 22, 2024 In 2011, I was studying economics at a university in the Philippines. That year, I joined a&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":621459,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cms.macleans.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/JAIME-CONSTANTINO_BY-CLAUDINE-BALTHAZAR072.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-621458","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/621458","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=621458"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/621458\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/621459"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=621458"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=621458"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=621458"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}