Immigration, Migration, and Refugee Activists in the LGBTQ Community
Issues around immigration, migration, and refugees are very prominent in the LGBTQ community. This results from the high level of activity in these areas around the world together with the added discriminatory policies targeting the community itself in many countries. LGBTQ persons may be forced to flee and seek refugee status because they fear being persecuted based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and/or sex characteristics in their home country.
Statistics are hard to come by. However, in the United States, the Williams Institute estimates that 3% of the 1.3 million total refugees and immigrants living in the country identify as LGBTQ. In Canada, 2,371 (or 13 per cent) of all 18,221 asylum decisions made between 2013 and 2015 were based, mainly, on sexual orientation. In the European Union there are no official statistics on the number of asylum claims based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
The United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR) has programs directed specifically to the LGBTQ community and the challenges it faces. The organization works with partners to provide inclusive services, protect their rights and identify safe options.
The individuals involved with these issues within the LGBTQ community include lawyers, activists, politicians, academics, and journalists. Refugees and immigrants rely on these LGBTQ individuals to provide assistance with food, lodging, mental and physical health services, social services, and much more. Many refugees and immigrants continue to receive discrimination and isolation after they have fled their home countries, or need to seek services to obtain residency and citizenship status. Refugees often talk about being forgotten twice - once in their home countries, and a second time in their adopted countries.
Australia
- Neil Pharaoh, Managing Director of GiveOUT
Belgium
- Pascal Smet, former Commissioner General for refugees and stateless people
Canada
- Michael Battista, lawyer
- Morton Beiser, academic
- Andre Boisclair, former Minister of Immigration
- Andre Boulerice, former Immigration Minister
- Debbie Douglas, Executive Director of OCASI -the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants
- Tatiana Ferguson, activist
- El-Farouk Khaki, Lawyer
- Arsham Parsi, founder and head of the Iranian Railroad for Queer Refugees
- Kimahli Powell, Executive Director, Rainbow Railroad
- Paul Wong, multi-media artist
Egypt
- Suma Abdelsamie, transgender founder of LGBTQ Refugees Welcome
France
- Claudie Lesselier, activist
Great Britain
- S Chelvan, barrister
- Ian Duncan, Deputy Speaker, House of Lords
- Nancy Kelley, Chief Executive Officer of Stonewall UK
- Sebastian Rocca, founder, Micro Rainbow International
Jamaica
- Maurice Tomlinson, lawyer
Nigeria
- Richard Akuson, activist and lawyer
- Aderonke Apata, activist
Philippines
- Jose Antonio Vargas, journalist
Spain
- Jesus Vasquez, Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commission on Refugees
Sweden
- Tobias Billstrom, former Minister for Migration Policy and Asylum Policy.
Syria
- Subhi Nahas, activist with ORAM - Organization for Refugee, Asylum, and Migration
The Netherlands
- Wim van de Camp, politician
Uganda
- Abbey Kiwanuka, Chief Executive, Out and Proud Diamond Group
United States
- Rane Ramon Arroyo, writer
- Sarah Ashton-Cirillo, journalist
- Joe Bertolino, academic
- Eliane Fersan, consulting
- Jennicet Gutierrez, activist
- Matt McTighe, activist
- Tony Navarrete, politician
- Trina Olsen, Immigration Equality
- Ana Reyes, lawyer and Federal Judge
- Curtis Ried, United Nations refugee expert
- Eleanor Roosevelt, activist
- Chase Strangio, lawyer
- Rachel B. Tiven, immigration activist
- Carmen Vazquez, former Director of the National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
See Also
- Community Experts on LGBTQ Housing and Ageing Issues
- Practising LGBTQ Rights Lawyers
- Race Activists in the LGBTQ Community
