Fluchtgrund Queer. Queer Refugees Deutschland, 2018

Fluchtgrund Queer. Queer Refugees Deutschland, 2018

People who flee usually have good reasons for doing so. This is especially true for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people (LGBTIQ+) who have experienced persecution and violence in their home countries. In nine countries around the world, homosexuals are subject to the death penalty, and in about 70 countries, same-sex acts are punished with prison sentences of several years. Persecution and abuse can come not just from the state, but also from the family, militias and other non-governmental organisations. In many countries, LGBTIQ+ people do not receive any protection from the state or even fear persecution from the state if they file a complaint. Of course, like many other people, LGBTIQ+ people leave their home countries because they see no prospects there due to the political and economic situation. LGBTIQ+ people in these countries are usually also exposed to structural discrimination in the health care system, on the labour market or in the education system. In order to support LGBTIQ+ refugees, a number of initiatives from the queer scene, but also from other social players, have been formed throughout Germany that offer psychosocial counselling, space for encounters and support for LGBTIQ+ refugees during the asylum process and beyond. More and more LGBTIQ+ refugees are joining these initiatives or forming their own self-help structures.