new report has alleged that the Home Office is using religion against LGBT+ asylum seekers.
The 85-page publication also found that the government department was using some LGBT+ asylum seekers’ dependency on homophobic or transphobic friends or family to discredit their applications. The report, published earlier this month, outlines the often terrifying and traumatic experiences of LGBT+ asylum seekers navigating the UK’s immigration system.
Jak Davis, at MCC of North London, described the findings as “extremely concerning” and said that it is “imperative” that LGBT+ people in need of refuge are given protection and safety. “It is fundamentally wrong to assume that LGBT+ people cannot have or practice a faith,” said Davis. “It is equally wrong to expect them to present detailed knowledge and analysis of scriptures that most people of faith, without a background in theological study, would struggle to do.” Read more via Pink News
LGBT African Asylum Seeker Research Project Report
Funded by the Big Lottery Fund & Commissioned by the Metropolitan Community Church of North London
The intention of this study, based on the original application for funding, was to look at all issues facing LGBT African asylum seekers, without any particular angle or expectation about what these might be. In line with this, and influenced by the social research methodology ‘grounded theory,’ the approach was to start with as few presuppositions as possible about the issues that might be found. A large net was cast asking asylum seekers first what general issues they faced, and then (in the focus group detailed below as well as the individual interviews), a slightly more specific question about how faith interacted with other elements of being an LGBT African asylum seeker. In line with this wide range of inquiry, the findings of this report reach beyond issues related to faith, as faith is intertwined with other issues faced by asylum seekers, and we wanted this to emerge naturally (if at all) rather than in response to direct close-ended questions. Read the full report here