Shirley Tan

Shirley Tan is a Philippine-American gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender activist who actively promotes gay and lesbian immigration rights in the United States.

Background and activism for immigration rights

Shirley Tan was born in the Philippines, where she holds citizenship. Shirley Tan currently resides in Pacifica, California with her twin sons and her spouse, Jay Mercado. During her teen years, her mother and sister were murdered by her cousin. She studied in the United States and moved to California in 1986, when she overstayed her tourist visa to be with Jay Mercado, an American citizen. Tan wrote a letter recounting her experience to Senator Dianne Feinstein of California:

"My agonizing, humiliating and tragic experience started when I got in their SUV. My partner ran to the car and saw me being handcuffed and she broke down to tears. They handcuffed me. I was taken like a criminal. I thought it was the lowest point of my life, but when they transferred me to a van and I saw two men in it and had bars in between us, it was something I cannot imagine that will happen to my life. I was taken like a criminal. I was praying so hard for me to wake up, but it was not a dream. I was actually there. My heart was beating so hard, my whole body was shaking and I felt so nauseated with what was happening to me."