Kristin and Katy Gossman

Kristin (left), 39, and Katy Gossman (right), 41, of Meriden, Connecticut, have been together since June of 1999, and had a commitment ceremony the following year with family, church members and friends.  The couple recently became foster parents.  Kristin’s parents have embraced Katy, and remark how proud they are to have her as part of the family, while Katy’s parents are known to send “Happy Birthday, Daughter-In-Law” cards to Kristin.  Although the two shared an exchange of vows in a commitment ceremony, they are reminded daily that they still don’t experience the many benefits given to married couples. Katy has worked as an FBI Special Agent for eight years, and was transferred from Dallas to Connecticut in 2003.  Heavily involved in the FBI’s work in the aftermath of 9/11, often working weeks at a stretch, and never knowing where her assignments would take her, Katy hastily did a video-taped will.  That experience drove home the extent to which she and Kristin are not fully protected by marriage even though they have made a life-time commitment to one another. ”I put a lot of things on the line for my country and I’m proud of that,” said Katy. “But I don’t understand why I can’t be treated like everyone else.  I simply want to make sure that should something happen to me, Kristin would be taken care of.” When the couple moved from Texas, they were denied moving benefits because they could not produce a state-certified marriage license. They also began to realize that they would not necessarily have the right to hospital visitation, medical benefits and other protections routinely given to married couples. Before moving to Connecticut, Kristin and Katy attended churches in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Texas area.  Both were active in their church, participating in neighborhood clean- up campaigns, Habitat for Humanity, holiday drives and young adult mentor programs. After eight years in the military, where she was in active duty for four years, Katy graduated with a mathematics degree and pursued a career with the FBI.  She loves her work and plans to retire after a career with the Bureau.  For the past 12 years, Kristin has worked in the health and fitness profession, working primarily in local hospitals, and has been an echocardiographer, since October 2004.  Kristin and Katy were married in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Photo Credit: Mainframe Photographics