“Patrice,” now streaming on Hulu, is a documentary about the realities of living with a disability. Like everyone, Patrice and her partner Gary face the ups and downs of love, but unlike everyone, they cannot get married.
If they get married – or even live together – their Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid benefits, which they rely on, would likely be slashed, making marriage effectively impossible, and this is the unfortunate story of many couples who have disabilities. Which is exactly why APSI highlighted the film during one of our monthly ‘Allies in Action’ staff meetings, where we tackle topics that might affect our clients.
The team discussed how while she does face roadblocks, Patrice’s story is one of resilience—she worked through bullying, a toxic upbringing, and systemic challenges to forge her own path. Her mother tried to hide her disability, she was institutionalized, and eventually she regained her autonomy.
And this ‘marriage penalty’ is just another obstacle Patrice and Gary face. Ultimately, the potential loss of their benefits forced them to give up their dreams of being husband and wife.
While they were not legally married, they held a commitment ceremony where they expressed their love for each other in spite of their circumstances.
“They can stop us from getting married, they can stop us from living together, but they are never going to stop us from loving each other,” Gary said.
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