International
Nobody would leave their home country unless they have no other option.
LGBTQ+ refugees are some of the world’s most vulnerable people – at risk of persecution and often, certain death. Here’s what we can do to help.
The journeys that LGBTQ+ refugees embark upon to reach safer shores are gruelling and fraught with risk. And the reality is that when – or if – they reach sanctuary, the challenges are far from over. Those who survive the journey to countries like the UK are often met with suspicion and cruelty, where they should be welcomed and supported.
Those who survive the journey to countries like the UK are often met with suspicion and cruelty.
The trauma refugees experience before, during and after fleeing their home countries is hard to comprehend for those of us who have always lived in relative safety. And sadly, arriving in the UK is only the beginning of a new struggle for many refugees. Having to rebuild a life from scratch, with limited access to vital resources including benefits, housing and education, leaves them under immense stress which negatively impacts their mental health and ability to integrate.
If asylum claims are rejected, LGBTQ+ refugees risk being deported to countries where they could be imprisoned, tortured or even killed for being themselves.
This would be tough for anyone. For LGBTQ+ refugees, these problems are compounded by the requirement to ‘prove’ that they are who they say they are. Applicants often struggle to have their sexual orientation or gender identity believed. In many cases, the only ‘evidence’ someone has to prove their identity is their own testimony. They have to talk about the most personal and intimate aspects of their lives to a stranger, who then decides whether or not they are telling the truth. In many cases this may be the first time they have told someone who they are, because in some countries, disclosing you are LGBTQ+ will mean certain death. If asylum claims are rejected, LGBTQ+ refugees risk being deported to countries where they could be imprisoned, tortured or even killed for being themselves.
In some countries, disclosing you are LGBTQ+ will mean certain death.
At Stonewall, we’re advocating for LGBTQ+ refugees in as many ways as we can. Demanding action from governments can and does make a difference, and alongside our partners, including Rainbow Migration and Rainbow Railroad, we call on governments to respond to emerging global issues.
As an example, in August 2021, we lobbied the UK Government to ramp up humanitarian evacuations of LGBTQ+ Afghans who are at risk under the Taliban.
We also spent several years lobbying for the protection of those fleeing persecution in Chechnya. Working in partnership to apply pressure increases the likelihood of the UK Government taking note and prioritising our communities at critical times.
More widely, we’re campaigning for better UNHCR guidelines on deciding LGBTQ+ asylum claims, and for fairer outcomes for LGBTQ+ refugees here in the UK.
As part of this, we worked with partners like Rainbow Migration to fight against the Nationality and Borders Bill, which sadly was passed by Parliament in April 2022. This new law will make it even more difficult to ‘prove’ that you are LGBTQ+. It also punishes people who stop somewhere on their way to the UK or those who don’t claim asylum immediately after arriving here by granting them a shorter form of leave.
The impact this will have on LGBTQ+ people is huge, as many are unaware that they can claim refugee protection on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity, may be afraid of claiming asylum as they do not wish to talk about it, or may not realise they are LGBTQ+ until they have lived here for some time.
On top of that, under the deal with Rwanda, some of these people will be detained and sent 4,000 miles away, to a country that is not safe for LGBTQ+ people.
Our partners at Rainbow Migration are calling for the next Prime Minister to scrap the Rwanda deal and to protect LGBTQ+ people seeking safety here. We have also joined Rainbow Migration’s ‘No Pride in Detention’ campaign to end the immigration detention of LGBTQI+ people. You can add your name here.
All LGBTQ+ refugees deserve the chance to rebuild their lives free from homophobia, biphobia and transphobia.
All LGBTQ+ refugees deserve the chance to rebuild their lives free from homophobia, biphobia and transphobia. We’re determined to do all we can to protect the right to refuge for our LGBTQ+ siblings arriving in the UK, and to ensure they are treated with dignity and compassion they deserve.
In partnership with ERA (LGBTI Equal Rights Association for the Western Balkans & Turkey), Stonewall is launching You Are Heard, an LGBTQI+ hate crime reporting website.
This new service provides a safe space for LGBTQ+ people and allies to report incidents.
How does it work?
You Are Heard has been developed with expert civil society organisations to allow individuals to report anti-LGBTQI+ incidents, such as harassment, violence and hate speech.
Users can remain anonymous when reporting, or add contact information if they wish to receive support from trusted local LGBTQI+ organisations. Individual reports won’t be shared with the police or governmental bodies – instead, local LGBTQI+ support organisations will receive the information and data to manage and analyse. They’ll then lead on advocacy work across local regions within the Western Balkans and Turkey.
The anonymous statistics created from the data will be used to show governments and policy makers which policies and support systems for LGBTQI+ communities must be introduced or improved. Crucially, the website has been built with the safety of LGBTQI+ individuals in mind, so that users making reports can be sure that their personal information will remain private.
How will this help?
By creating a strong bank of evidence on hate crimes against LGBTQI+ people, advocacy groups will be empowered to create meaningful changes in legislation at a governmental level. We also hope that members of the LGBTQI+ community feel confident using You Are Heard to report incidents, since the platform will provide routes for survivors to access support in their area.
Stonewall and our partners aim to access further funding in the near future in order to maximise the impact of the platform. We plan to introduce enhanced digital functionality and further resourcing of advocacy work across the region, meaning the LGBTQI+ community will see further benefits as the platform grows.
Visit You Are Heard and help us spread the word.
For more information, email klara.wertheim@stonewall.org.uk.
The UK Government committed to banning conversion practices in England and Wales in 2018, yet seven years have passed without a ban.
But across the world, many places already have bans in place. In fact, there are 28 countries with some form of national ban on conversion practices. Of these, 14 countries have bans applying to all individuals, seven ban it only for medical professionals, and another seven have indirect or partial bans via mental-health diagnosis restrictions. In this article, we’ll look at where conversion practices are banned, and what those bans look like.
Starting in 1999, Brazil introduced a trailblazing ban on conversion practices relating to sexual orientation – the first conversion practices ban in the world! Their ban came through the Federal Council of Psychology, and it was extended to cover gender identity as well as sexual orientation in 2018.
Jumping ahead to 2007, Samoa passed a law stating that people cannot be considered ‘mentally ill’ because of their sexual orientation, preventing registered health professionals from practising conversion practices. Fiji followed suit in 2010, followed by Taiwan in 2018 – with the latter introducing a criminal ban for health practitioners. In Argentina in 2010, and Uruguay in 2017, mental health laws implemented a ban on conversion practices on the basis of both sexual orientation and gender identity.
Several countries have introduced criminal bans for those found to be practising conversion practices, including Ecuador in 2014 and Malta in 2016.
In 2020, Germany banned conversion practices for minors, as well as protecting adults undergoing conversion practices because of force, fraud or pressure.
When it comes to provinces, regions and territories, Spain and Australia continue to make progress.
In Spain, Murcia has implemented a ban on registered health professionals practising conversion practices, and Madrid, Valencia, Andalusia and Aragon all introduced criminal bans in 2017 that would apply to conversion practices in all settings. In 2020, Queensland State in Australia made conversion practices in healthcare settings a criminal offence, followed by Victoria, which banned conversion practices in all settings in 2021. And since 2013, bans of varying forms have been implemented across 20 states, two territories, and multiple local counties or municipalities in the United States.
In 2021, Chile introduced a medical ban, with a bill under discussion that would ban conversion practices in all settings. In the same year in India, the Madras High Court issued directives to prohibit conversion practices in India, along with other sweeping reforms to respect LGBTQ+ rights.
Conversion practices bans for minors were already in place across several Canadian territories but in December 2021, Canada’s House of Commons voted unanimously for a federal ban. This protects both adults and minors from conversion practices to change their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. Days later, France’s parliament also voted to pass a ban.
In 2022, New Zealand banned conversion practices, introducing two new criminal offences for attempts to change the sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression of anyone under 18.
In 2023, we saw Belgium, Cyprus and Iceland all introduced full national bans on conversion practices. In 2024 , Norway, Portugal and Mexico followed suit.
In 2025, New South Wales and South Australia both passed bans. The Dutch parliament also voted to criminalise conversion practices in September.
All LGBTQA+ people deserve to be protected from the lifelong damage inflicted by conversion practices. But unless we keep pressure on the UK Government, we risk lagging even further behind other countries in the world.
All LGBTQ+ people deserve to be protected from abuse. Find out how you can support a ban on conversion practices that leaves no one behind.
Trans Day of Visibility takes place every 31 March.
It marks a time to celebrate trans and non-binary people, and to raise awareness of the discrimination faced by the community worldwide.
It also provides an opportunity for trans and non-binary people to feel seen through positive and realistic representation – and for allies to learn more about how they can stand in solidarity. Visibility is crucial. Without exposure to others who think, feel, and live in a similar way to us – especially for those who exist outside of society’s norms – we can feel lost and alone. Visibility allows community to bloom, and for people with shared lived experiences to form bonds across borders.
Visibility allows community to bloom, and for people with shared lived experiences to form bonds across borders.
When learning about trans and non-binary experiences, it’s important to understand the diversity of this community. We can only do this by listening directly to trans and non-binary voices, and by learning about our history. This year, we’re spotlighting a range of trans stories from the UK and beyond. Hear from trans couple, Jack and Hannah Graf, about their journey into parenthood. Explore the very common misconception that all trans people have had, or must undergo, surgery in order to be valid in their identity. Or learn about the history of Berlin’s Institute of Sexology, one of the first institutes in the world to offer gender-affirming surgeries to trans patients.
It’s also crucial for Western communities to broaden our understanding of trans identities on a global scale.
It’s also crucial for Western communities to broaden our understanding of trans identities on a global scale. This helps us recognise and unlearn Eurocentric understanding of gender, to understand the long-lasting impacts of colonialism on citizens of post-colonial countries, and to challenge ongoing racial injustices worldwide. After all, trans and non-binary identities are not new or unique to any one demographic.
While communities around the world may use different terminology, gender-variance has long existed, persisted, and thrived. One such culture and community are the Hijras in South Asia. The West may group these women as transgender, intersex, or as castrated men, but in South Asia, the Hijra have been historically categorised as a third gender. While this categorisation provides certain safeties, the community are socially excluded and kept on the extreme margins of society. This leaves them both extremely visible and eternally invisible. While they often perform at events and bless babies, they also struggle to find secure employment, and many make a living through unsafe sex work.
This Trans Day of Visibility, we’re happy to share a short film by documentary film-maker Lily Vetch that offers direct insight into the Hijra experience, featuring an interview with Dhaka-based Rani Chowdhury and scenes of dance rehearsals with a male partner. With so much harmful rhetoric in mainstream media presenting trans and non-binary identities as a novel trend, today we’re drawing attention to the rich and diverse history encompassed under the trans umbrella, and amplifying the voices and experiences of the most marginalised members of the community.
Without action – and true systemic change that supports the needs of the trans community – visibility can easily create further instability.
So, visibility is important. But is it enough? While positive representation can lead to wider acceptance in society, trans people also experience concerted pushback. We’ve seen dozens of examples of anti-trans legislation sweeping through different states across the US in recent months, and trans people’s identities are treated merely as a debating topic in the UK media. Without action – and true systemic change that supports the needs of the trans community – visibility can easily create further instability.
Today, we all have a role to play. Along with sharing trans peoples’ stories far and wide, make sure to support campaigns and mutual aid networks, so that in future trans people can be more than simply visible – they can thrive.
Follow us across social channels to listen to, and learn, from the stories we are spotlighting today.