LGBTQ+ refugees could face being kicked out of their home countries before being dragged into an outdated asylum system that forces them to ‘prove’ their identity to strangers, a case study from a refugee charity shared on the National Coming Out Day show has revealed.
National Coming Out Day is held on October 11 of each year and was first celebrated in 1988, marking the first anniversary of the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. It was founded to celebrate LGBTQ+ people who have decided to come out as queer and live openly.
For LGBTQ+ people, coming out is a very personal and personal experience, and people can “come out” at any age.
For some, it may not be a big deal at all, something they do on a whim or causality, such as explaining what their identity is or introducing their partner to friends and family, but for others, it can be extremely difficult, especially if they come from a community where anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination is common.
For LGBTQ+ refugees, the process of coming out can be dangerous and upsetting, and queer people can face rejection from family and friends, abuse, criminal charges, and even the death penalty.
In the run-up to National Coming Out Day 2025, PinkNews heard case studies from two people supported by LGBTQ+ refugee charities rainbow migration About the coming out experience.
Jalal, a gay man from Morocco, explained that he had lived in Morocco all his life until moving to the UK in early 2021 to pursue a higher degree.
“You have to leave or he’ll kill you.”
“When I visited my hometown, I had a big conflict with my family,” he explained. “I brought a lot of clothes and other items because I knew my family wouldn’t normally touch my things, like my cell phone.
“But this time, I was really surprised because my mom took the opportunity to go through my things when I wasn’t looking.
“Looking back, I think she was very suspicious about my lifestyle in the UK. Every time we video called, I spoke briefly and always said the same thing, so she wanted to know more.
“She found my letters and photos of me and my ex-girlfriend.
“When I came back, she had all the stuff I had hidden and we got into a fight.
“It became so violent that I had to go back to my room to be safe. Eventually my parents told me to leave or my father would kill me.”
Jalal said his father “left home to cool off,” and his mother told him, “When he came back, you had to leave or you’d be killed.”
“So that’s what I did. I took my passport, my luggage, and everything else I could get my hands on.
“I waited for the cheapest flight and went to the cheapest hotel.” [back to London]. In the end, I got on the plane. It took me three days just to go through all the formalities before applying for asylum. I was very tired from the flight. ”
When queer people arrived in Britain, system How questions are asked about LGBTQ+ people can itself be discriminatory to “prove” their identity Submit evidence to authorities to be granted asylum.
as the study Rainbow Migration revealed that the UK government frequently disbelieves LGBTQ+ people seeking asylum and ignores testimonies from friends and family that prove a person’s sexual and gender identity.
A bisexual woman from Pakistan who is supported by Rainbow Migration said of the system:
“I had to explain my trauma, abuse, and fear to strangers and try to remain calm, knowing they were keeping a close eye on me to see if I was ‘trustworthy enough.’
Source: PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news – www.thepinknews.com
