Life Stories How Ukrainian refugees find safety in the EU: Dima's story The New Humanitarian 10/06/2022 An untold number of LGBTQI+ Ukrainians – especially trans women, trans men, and non-binary people – have faced barriers trying to exit Ukraine. This is Dima's story [collected by The New Humanitarian]. Tamy's story: from Peru to Argentina Spotify - El Pasaje 08/04/2022 Listen the podcast on Tamy's story, one of the episodes of 'El Pasaje' - a project developed with the support of IOM in Argentina. Freely available on Spotify. Locked up in the Land of Liberty Washington Blade 03/09/2021 Yariel Valdés González spent 11 months in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody. He wrote a series of diaries about that time, which have been partially published in the Washington Blade in July 2021. Pride month: Five stories from around the world Pride month: Five stories from around the world 30/06/2021 In many places Pride is still celebrated in secret, as LGBT people are still fighting to have their rights recognised. Here you can read five interviews carried out by Robin Levinson King for BBC. Happy Pride to everyone! ‘I’m not dying without a fight’: the story of Victor Metro 18/06/2021 This is the story of Victor, a Nigerian man who fled home because being gay is a crime and who wants his story to be one of hope [story collected by Elisa Menendez for Metro]. Lights Up: Adam's story BBC iPlayer 07/05/2021 The true story of a trans man, Adam Kashmiry, and his remarkable struggle across genders and borders. Based on the acclaimed National Theatre of Scotland play, with Adam himself in the lead role. North Korea’s ‘only openly gay defector’ finds love BBC 26/03/2021 Jang Yeong-jin is the North Korea's only openly gay defector. Julie Yoonnyung Lee has recently written about him for the BBC. Check the BBC website for the full story or read part of it here. Enjoy! 'In danger if sent home': Ugandan asylum seekers' story BBC 12/03/2021 Same-sex liaisons are illegal in Uganda. Some gay Ugandans manage to leave their homeland, such as Rodney, Godfrey and Yudaya. Thomas Magill & Bethan Bell collected their stories for the BBC. Love and fight: Christina's story SOGICA Project 20/11/2020 On this TDoR, we are very happy to share the story of Christina, whose fight to get asylum continues. We wish her all the best in life and ask you to disseminate this SOGICA podcast to fight a cruel asylum system! How he became an activist: Dennis' story Alturi 06/11/2020 The director of IRCA Casabierta shares his story as an Honduran LGBTIQ refugee living in Costa Rica and how he became involved in LGBTIQ activism. Story written by Iván Lopez-Justiniano for Alturi. Stories from Costa Rica: the video of IRCA CASABIERTA IRCA Casabierta 23/10/2020 IRCA Casabierta has filmed a video that addresses their work and the stories of the SOGI claimants who receive support in Costa Rica. We are happy to share the video as a way to thank them for their wonderful job. Enjoy! From Sara to Sarah: in memory of Sarah Hegazi, activist in Egypt SOGICA 09/10/2020 Sara Alsherif shared with SOGICA the work done to commemorate the activist Sarah Hegazi, who recently passed away after years of fight for sexual and gender minorities' equality in Egypt. Have a look and share! Born in France, raised in Belgium, facing removal to the DRC: David's story The Guardian 21/08/2020 David grew up in Brussels and dreams of a career in fashion, but hardline laws make him an asylum seeker in his own country. His story was collected by Francesca Spinelli for The Guardian. ‘Don’t come back, they’ll kill you for being gay’: Mohamed's story BBC news 07/08/2020 For years Mohamed's family tried to make him more like other boys. They even sent him to have a female spirit driven out. Read his entire story, written by Layla Mahmood for BBC news, below. #IamWhoIam: Welcome to Germany - Anbid's story Sogica.org 20/06/2020 Anbid Zaman is a LGBTIQ+ activist. In 2016, when he was a student in Dhaka, he was forced to go into hiding. He was eventually granted international protection in Germany. Anbid shared his story in this new SOGICA video. #IAmWhoISayIAm - Fight or Flight: Mazen's story Il Grande Colibri 03/06/2020 Another video realised by SOGICA with the contribution of University of Sussex's team video, UNHCR and MIT (Italy). This is #IAmWhoISayIAm - Fight or Flight: Mazen's story. TDoV 2020: Fostering visibility to T refugees living in refugee camps in Kenya Pink News 31/03/2020 Let's break the silence around T refugees that are still forced to live in fear in refugee camps. Story collected by J. Milton for Pink News. #IAmWhoISayIam: more stories coming soon... Sogica.org 06/03/2020 More hot videos coming your way soon. For now, check out our stars in this trailer, all SOGI refugees in Europe who have gone through incredibly hard journeys and deserve all our respect and admiration. Stay tuned! #IAmWhoISayIAm - No Place Like Home: Angel's story Sogica.org 28/02/2020 Angel was forced to flee into the night after she was discovered with her girlfriend by police during a house raid. Finally arriving in the UK, she applied for asylum: watch her story in this original SOGICA video! 'How do I convince the Home Office I'm a lesbian?': Angel's story BBC News 26/02/2020 Kirstie Brewer collected the story of Angel, who fled Zimbabwe, for BBC News: Take a look! Claiming asylum in the UK: Nadim's story 10/01/2020 Nadim claimed asylum in the UK because his life was in danger in his home country. He shared his story with SOGICA to send a message of hope to anyone fleeing SOGI persecution. We wish all the best to Nadim in his new life. Two-year detention of a transgender asylum claimant: Barrera's story The New Yorker 06/12/2019 Detention, asylum denials, lack of access to healthcare: a powerful story written by Murat Oztaskin for The New Yorker. Being gay in Tunisia: Dali's and Chakib's story PaintLGBT 22/11/2019 'Being gay in Tunisia is a crime. So we fled to Malta to be free': the story of Dali and Chakib A gay political refugee PaintLGBT 08/11/2019 This man had no other choice but to escape his country in the Middle East because he is gay. After arriving and settling in Brussels, he became a political refugee. Between detention and support in UK: The story of Muhammad Micro Rainbow 18/10/2019 Micro Rainbow shared with us the inspiring story of Muhammad, one of the many claimants who, after being detained, found a support in their integration programmes. 'Transitioning' from asylum claimant to refugee status: Zaid's struggle for accommodation Micro Rainbow International Foundation 11/10/2019 Zaid's story is the account of another refugee’s struggle to find accommodation and move on after waiting months for a decision on his asylum claim. The story was collected by the Micro Rainbow International Foundation. Two stories from Micro Rainbow: Rahim and Alana Micro Rainbow 04/10/2019 Micro Rainbow shared with us the stories of Rahim and Alana. Check Micro Rainbow's website for more successful stories. How a Malian gay refugee found a home: Louis' story OUT 27/09/2019 T. Willis released a documentary 'When Refugee Camps Are Full, Take One Home' on the refugee crisis in France. He followed a gay couple, Cristophe and Armand, who decide to make an impact through hosting a gay refugee, Louis. Unlawfully deported from UK was ‘gang-raped and fearing for her life’ after removal to Uganda: The story of PN The Independent 20/09/2019 Asylum seeker who is being returned to Britain after landmark High Court case tells The Independent she has been living in perpetual fear of being attacked for her sexuality. Story collected by May Bulman. Three refugees in Berlin: The struggle continues in Europe MELbeta 13/09/2019 The stories of Lina, Mahmoud and Miki collected by Jessica Bateman for MELbeta in 2017. LGBT asylum seekers’ claims are ‘not being taken seriously’: Abderrahim's asylum experience Pink News 06/09/2019 A gay asylum seeker has accused the Home Office of not taking LGBT+ migrants’ sexualities seriously. He spoke about fleeing Morocco for the UK. Caught Between Borders: The Stories of Ismail, Faith and Jimmy, three African SOGI people in need of asylum Longreads 30/08/2019 [An] investigation into the plight of African LGBTI asylum seekers revealed that systemic gaps in the asylum process mean that […] if you’re African and LGBTI, true safety is often unachievable. By M. Politzer and A. Hylton. Queer people in Azerbaijan: Destiny depends on the way of thinking OC Media 23/08/2019 This is the story of a gay man born in Azerbaijan who, for years, hid who he was from those closest to him. Despite fleeing to Europe, he still faces death threats from his family because of his sexuality. Escaping Trans Discrimination: Stories of Trans Women Seeking Asylum in the US VICE 16/08/2019 For many trans people facing discrimination in home countries, migration to the US represents a chance to redeem their identity. But upon arriving in the US, they often find a dangerous life and threat of detention (by VICE). Stories from Moscow: How LGBT Couples in Russia Decide Whether to Leave the Country The New Yorker 09/08/2019 Stories collected by Masha Gessen for The New Yorker. Christina and Ilios: Stories from Greece Mariza Avgeri 02/08/2019 Christina and Ilios, who have fled from Iraq and Syria, interview each other on the difficulties of being a LGBTIQ+ asylum claimant in Greece. Stand with Joana! Oram International 26/07/2019 This is the story, reported by ORAM (3 June 2019), of Joana* and Mado* that live in Turkey in precarious conditions, enhanced by their vulnerability. They have been waiting to be resettled to a safe third country since 2016. LGBT asylum seekers face double isolation: Reflections of a gay claimant Irish Examiner 20/07/2019 Evgeny Shtorn, a civil society activist and researcher that was forced to leave Russia and claim asylum in Europe, has recently published his reflections on SOGI asylum with the Irish Examiner. A selection is provided here. A Matter of Life or Death: LGBTQ+ Refugees Tyler Oakley 12/07/2019 Tyler Oakley met two resilient members of the LGBTQ+ community, Shadi (from Syria) and Sharifa (from Uganda) who went to incredible lengths to flee their home countries to avoid persecution. Ken’s story: ‘When my asylum application was denied, I felt cold and hopeless, as though my life were over’ Inews 28/06/2019 Gay rugby player Ken M. has been living in the UK for 10 years, after moving from Kenya where gay sex carries a prison sentence of up to 14 years, and recently detained. Ella Braidwood collected his story for Inews. Sicilian volunteers help African LGBTI migrants hit by new Italian Law The New Humanitarian 20/06/2019 For the World Refugee Day '19, we would like to pay tribute to those volunteers who help all migrants, including people fleeing homophobia and transphobia, so they can feel everywhere at 'home'. #EveryHumanCounts Zuheir's story: 'I had to leave Lebanon after I came out as gay and HIV positive on TV' Gay Star News 07/06/2019 The project Stonewall 50 Voices series, which celebrates the diversity of our global LGBTI community, has hosted the story of a 29-year-old filmmaker and Lebanese refugee living in the UK. Mohammed's story: death threats, an unwanted marriage, homelessness and depression but now free Peter Tatchell Foundation 24/05/2019 Mohammed was studying in the UK when was pressured into a heterosexual marriage. He fled this marriage but could not return to Pakistan after his family threatened to kill him. In 2019 he finally got the refugee status. 'Looking over each other’s shoulders': The story of a gay man in Brunei Gay Star News 10/05/2019 A man reflects on his experiences as a gay man in Brunei before fleeing to Canada to escape sedition charges. Story collected by Calum Stuart for Digital Pride. Fear and hope: A gay asylum seeker from Saudi Arabia Montreal Gazette 26/04/2019 Abdullah went from having everything paid for by his family to living out of a bag. And yet he has never felt more at peace. Story collected by Jesse Feith for the Montreal Gazette. Gay refugee fears for his life when he’s deported: nine years in UK do not matter at all Worcester News 12/04/2019 The story of a man, who fears for his future due to potential deportation to Bangladesh following the rejection of his appeal for asylum by the UK Home Office, collected by Grace Walton. A gay Egyptian leaves his homeland: Manu's story The New Yorker 29/03/2019 Some bits of the story written by Peter Hessler for The New Yorker about his Egyptian friend, Manu. Click on the link to read the full story. Sam's story from UK: when discrimination on multiple grounds intersects credibility assessment? The Guardian 08/03/2019 Home Office cites 67-year-old’s lack of a boyfriend as a reason for suspicion. Story collected by Helen Pidd for The Guardian (You may sign the petition at the end of the story). 'Not gay enough': Stories from the Netherlands PRI 22/02/2019 Stories collected by Venetia Rainey for PRI in 2017. Despite these stories were published two years ago, issues around the credibility assessment remain still the same. A community fights for asylum justice: Ken's story The Bristol Cable 08/02/2019 Bristol Bison rugby player Ken Macharia speaks about his experience of detention, as the system comes under the spotlight [written by Lorna Stephenson]. Gay man who fled Iraq reveals all: Being LGBTI is a 'death sentence' Gay Star News 25/01/2019 The project Stonewall 50 Voices series, which celebrates the diversity of our global LGBTI community, has hosted Amir Ashour who founded and directs IraQueer - www.iraqueer.org. ‘As an LGBT refugee, Europe’s deal with Libya has left me fearing for my life’ NewStatesman 04/01/2019 The story appeared in an article written by Ali Ibrahim in partnership with Sally Hayden. [For a related international law analysis, see the recent Special Issue of GenIUS in SOGICA website's publications section). Nahas’s Fight for LGBT Refugees: Making History at the UN and at the NYC Pride The Daily Beast 30/11/2018 After fleeing Syria, Nahas made history by becoming the first person to address the UN Security Council on the persecution of LGBT people under ISIS and a grand marshal of the 2016’s 46th NYC Pride March [story by D. Agren]. 2018 Transgender Day of Remembrance: Sasha's story 20/11/2018 For the 2018 Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR), SOGICA is proud to share a speech that Sasha Taylor will give in Liverpool to mark the occasion. A huge thanks to Sasha and a good TDoR to all our friends. Being gay in Pakistan: A story from Lahore Il Grande Colibri 26/10/2018 The story of a young gay man from Lahore, Pakistan, collected by Faysal Zia for Il Grande Colibri. "I’m in a bad dream”: A story from Ireland GNC - October 2018 19/10/2018 Aoife Moriarty for the Magazine GNC (October 2018, Issue 346) interviewed a woman from Zimbabwe who just had her application for asylum rejected. Fleeing the United States: Danni, trans activist seeking asylum in Sweden The Local 12/10/2018 Ruben Dieleman, Dutch freelance journalist and an assistant researcher at Gothenburg University, collected this story for The Local (se). 'Askini’s story is one of great hardships, yet she radiates positivity', he reports. 'We’re brothers, sisters and activists’: the Greek collective of gay and trans refugees The Guardian 28/09/2018 For persecuted gay and trans refugees, getting together has given them a safe space as well as vital support. Edward Siddons, for The Guardian, hears how the group became family they never had. Living with fear: Kabir's story BuzzFeedNews 14/09/2018 The Government threatened to deport Kabir, a guy with learning disabilities, because they didn't believe he could be gay [by Patrick Strudwick]. LGBT Asylum: Three Stories Immigration Equality 24/08/2018 Three stories collected by Immigration Equality, whose LGBT Asylum Program supports more than 400 LGBT people fleeing Russia, Uganda and other countries every year. This is Who I Am - Testimonies from LGBT+ refugees in UK This is Who I Am 03/08/2018 This is Who I Am; verbatim testimonies from LGBT+ refugees about their experiences in their own country and on arrival in the UK was launched at the 2017 And What? Queer Arts Festival. Check their website for more info. 'There is no country for you': stories of LGBTI+ refugees in Turkey The New Yorker 22/06/2018 Stories collected by Masha Gessen for her article 'The L.G.B.T. Refugees in Turkey Who Refuse to Be Forgotten' (The New Yorker, 14 June 2018). Another deportation to Nigeria - Adeniyi Raji’s story The Guardian 15/06/2018 Another gay asylum seeker faces deportation from UK to Nigeria. Adeniyi Raji’s story confirms the difficulties experienced by gay asylum seekers in having their asylum request recognised [story collected by The Guardian]. 'Life is hell because I support my gay brother' - A story from Cameroon 76crimes.com 06/06/2018 In Cameroon, if you are a loving, supportive member of a gay man’s family, you can become a target for violently anti-gay attackers. Colin Stewart and Mr. Defender collected the story of Dominique's family. Life stories under the Gianchette bridge - Ventimiglia Thesubwaywall 11/05/2018 Ventimiglia, an Italian city close to the French border where migrants settle in unathorized camps waiting for the ‘European dream’. The Gianchette bridge is more than a flyover: it is a symbol of an 'interrupted’ dream. Stories from Lesbian Refugees in Germany: Bleiberecht für lesbische Geflüchtete! Youtube 27/04/2018 A few women, who have claimed asylum in reason of their sexual orientation, share their stories and call for supporting the right to stay for Lesbian Refugees in Germany. If you would like to, sign the petition on change.org. Confessions of a lesbian refugee from Iran - Jannat's story The Establishment 06/04/2018 This is the story of Jannat, a lesbian refugee from Iran living in USA [story collected by Abby Higgs for The Establishment]. Ibrahim, Tiny, Tendai, Vicky&Taffy and Aldo: stories of life-long battles Oram International 09/03/2018 These stories of life-long battles were collected by ORAM in "As I Am: Understanding the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity of Refugees" (2013), the first educational film for LGBTI asylum seekers. My name is not as important as my story InfoMigrants 23/02/2018 A 22-year-old man had to flee Tajikistan just because he was gay. He calls his country "hell for the LGBT community" and appeals to the government to let them live their lives. [Story collected by InfoMigrants] A Safe Place to Call Home for Sami and Malik Advocate 09/02/2018 A house on an ordinary street just outside London is the first in the UK to provide a safe place to call home for LGBT asylum seekers, including for Sami and Malik [by Alison Tate - video by Thomson Reuters Foundation]. Fatina, Grace, Hamid and Orashia: Stories of Bisexual Asylum Seekers Gay Star News 19/01/2018 As part of [Gay Star News] Bi+ Manifesto season, desperate asylum seekers have shared the devastating reality in the ways they are discriminated against once they reach ‘safer shores’. [Stories collected by Joe Morgan]. An HIV-Positive Gay Asylum Seeker Staged a 7-Day Hunger Strike in an ICE Detention Facility The Nation 05/01/2018 This is the story of Jesus Rodriguez Mendoza and his protest for prolonged detention, substandard medical care, and parole denial [story collected by John Washington for The Nation]. Refugees on campus: Shrouk's fight in UK Campus Society 15/12/2017 International students travel to seek education. Shrouk travelled to seek safety. ‘You look like a f**king gay’ - The shocking stories of LGBT asylum seekers Pink News 02/12/2017 In a report published in 2016 by Stonewall and the UK Lesbian and Gay Immigration Group (UKLGIG), several LGBT asylum seekers talk about their experiences within UK detention centres. Karla Avelar - A transgender activist in El Salvador has sought refuge in Ireland. Washington Blade 17/11/2017 Approximately 600 LGBTI people have been killed in El Salvador since 1993. Karla Avelar, a transgender activist in that country was forced to seek refuge in Ireland [Story collected by Michael K. Lavers]. Iraqi soldiers' love forced them to leave their home CNN 10/11/2017 Two gay Iraqi soldiers found love amid war. Then the death threats started [by Faith Karimi, CNN] SOGI asylum seekers’ stories from Germany Pinknews and Gaystarnews 27/10/2017 SOGI asylum seekers’ stories from Germany. From their accounts, it emerges how national authorities seem to fail to acknowledge the severe violence they encounter in their home country, exposing them to deportation. British transgender woman gets asylum in New Zealand because of persecution in the UK Pink News 13/10/2017 A British transgender woman has been given asylum in New Zealand because of the persecution she faced in the UK [by Mayer Nissim]. Persecuted beyond borders. The story of a Libyan refugee. Open Democracy 29/09/2017 The story of a Libyan asylum seeker who found refuge in Italy and is now a volunteer for an association supporting LGBT refugees [story collected by Claudia Torrisi - visit the above link for the full article]. Asylum seeker 'was asked to provide intimate photos to prove she was gay' Mirror 08/09/2017 Skhumbuzo Khumalo fled Zimbabwe, where homosexuality is illegal, after fearing for her life - only to be subjected to ‘degrading’ treatment on arrival in the UK (by Harriet Hernando - 2016). Bright rethoric but a dark reality Mail&Guardian 01/09/2017 Being black, queer and asylum seeker in Germany: Anonymous account told to Carl Collison. The story of five LGBTI Africans crossing borders Getting Out 25/08/2017 Getting Out (D. Neumann et al., 2011) is a documentary film produced by the Refugee Law Project (Makerere University, Kampala) with the Ugandan Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights and Constitutional Law. Find out more! 'I've Lost My Hope': Anika and detention in UK Broadly- Louis Staples 18/08/2017 If you're facing discrimination in your own country, you're legally entitled to seek asylum somewhere safe. But for many LGBT asylum seekers, this is only the beginning of a new struggle. Aderonke Apata wins asylum bid to stay in the UK Attitude 12/08/2017 Aderonke Apata was accused of lying about her sexuality by a High Court judge after being forced to flee her native Nigeria. “I will kill myself”: A gay Syrian refugee couple in UK Newstatesman 21/07/2017 “We haven't any hope this war in Syria will finish. So now we are looking to another country. We're looking to another country to protect us. We haven't got a country anymore.” Gay asylum seekers beaten close to death in Germany Gay Star News 17/07/2017 After they recover from their injuries, they are likely to be sent back to the same refugee camp where they were attacked Gloria: Granted support on her third application Refugee Action Report 14/07/2017 This is the story of Gloria, who is a lesbian mother, and her difficulty to be supported in UK. No Place for Me: the Struggles of Sexual and Gender Minority Refugees Oram International 05/07/2017 Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) urban refugees in Mexico, Uganda and South Africa tell their stories in their own powerful and authentic voices. Yasmin, Ali and Rima - 'It Was a Nightmare': Life for LGBTQ Refugees in Greece Can Be a Living Hell Broadly - Laila Tyack 16/06/2017 Yasmin's, Ali's and Rima's stories and their experiences in Greece. Chechnya’s ‘first transgender woman’ opens up about her escape Pink News 22/05/2017 The story of Leila, Chechnya's first transgender person, fleeing persecution from Russia to United States. A Zimbabwean woman's 15 years of life in limbo in Britain The Guardian 03/05/2017 The Home Office rejected Paradzai Nkomo’s sexuality claim, saying it did not believe she had a “well-founded fear”, and a lesbian returning to Zimbabwe “would not face a real risk of persecution”. Raped and abused, this 23-year-old gay refugee from Bangladesh on the run in Nepal shares his story Gay Star News 25/04/2017 Disowned by his family and driven from his country by extremists, activist Rakib tells GSN: 'I don’t have anyone in this world but my shadow' A Gay asylum seeker faced deportation to Malawi because he ‘can’t prove’ his sexuality Pink News 17/03/2017 In January 2016, a gay asylum seeker in the UK said he was facing deportation to Malawi because he didn’t have enough ‘proof’ of his sexuality. A transgender woman from Singapore facing compulsory military service if deported was given asylum in the UK in 2016 The Guardian 17/02/2017 In 2016 for the first time, the UK granted asylum to a transgender woman from Singapore so she would not have to go back to her country of origin and complete compulsory military service as a man. Seeking Sanctuary BeLonG To 13/01/2017 Three stories of asylum seekers fleeing homophobia and transphobia.
