Once in Germany, gay and lesbian refugees continue to experience verbal attacks and homophobia.
They also encounter difficulties during the asylum process, as Knud Wechterstein from Rainbow Refugees Frankfurt explains.
Rainbow Refugees Frankfurt is an initiative that assists LGBT refugees (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender). On the one hand, it offers help in different steps of the asylum proceedings.
On the other, Rainbow Refugees also organises open sessions where people can come together, find contacts and build up networks.
It was started in 2015. Since then, the initiative that relies solely on donations was able to help out about 200 people. Board member Knud Wechterstein explains what problems LGBT refugees in Germany are facing.
People of gay and queer orientation who flee to Germany usually enter into equally homophobic surroundings. It’s a continuation. There is verbal abuse, violence and marginalisation by other refugees, especially in the shelters. The asylum proceedings also present a big challenge: we are seeing that gay refugees are not being heard through and that their reasons for fleeing receive little attention. Asylum applications by homosexual refugees get rejected even if there is severe persecution of homosexual activity in their home countries. This is despite the fact that in Germany, there is a right to asylum for this kind of persecution.
This is sadly happening all over “LGBTQ friendly Europe”, other refugees thinks it’s ok to be homophobic – the resident country of a refugee has the obligation to inform the asylum seeker that homophobic behaviour of any kind (verbally or physically) is not accepted and should count negatively on their asylum applications.
If the refugee can not accept these terms – proceedings to return to their home country should start right away.
No country in Europe has nothing to gain to approve homophobic refugee asylum, when on the other hand LGBTQ refugees needs to prove how LGBTQ they are. And if they are not LGBTQ enough according the case holder then the LGBTQ refugee will be turned away. While the case handler had forgot the LGBTQ persons comes in many variation and that LGBTQ person from a country were it’s criminal to be LGBTQ – it isn’t strange they are not screaming out on street corners that they are LGBTQ – because the need to return to the homophobic behaviour in the shelter – because the country has forgotten to inform these homophobes that is not social acceptable in this country.
Why can’t you then demand other refugee’s to prove LGBTQ acceptance as well ?
European politicians needs to raise to the occasion and start to show their so-called LGBTQ colours and friendliness !