LGBTQI+ Refugees: Pride Means Nothing If it Does Not Include All of Us

As South Africa marks African Pride Month in October, we are reminded of the progress made in advancing the rights and visibility of LGBTQI+ communities. Pride is a time for celebration, reflection, and solidarity. However, for many LGBTQI+ refugees living in South Africa, these events serve as a painful reminder of the freedoms and rights they have yet to experience.

In the midst of escalating xenophobic violence and rising uncertainty, LGBTQI+ refugees continue to face some serious challenges. While homophobia and transphobia are challenges we all face collectively as a community, for LGBTQI+ refugees, the intersection of sexual orientation, gender identity, and legal status creates an added layer of vulnerability that is devastating and somewhat life-threatening.

At this moment, many LGBTQI+ refugees in South Africa are undocumented, making them targets for harassment, discrimination, and violence. Without legal status, they are denied basic human rights such as freedom of movement, freedom of association, access to education, and the ability to work.

These are rights that many take for granted but remain a distant reality for queer and trans refugees who fled persecution in their home countries only to encounter new forms of marginalisation here in South Africa.

The lack of documentation strips them of their dignity and livelihood. It puts them at risk of arrest, deportation, and other abuses. Worse still, xenophobia compounds their struggles, making it nearly impossible for them to access services or build lives free from fear. They are forced to live in the shadows, with no access to justice, healthcare, or basic social services, making them even more vulnerable to exploitation and violence.

Now, more than ever, we need the LGBTQI+ community, our allies, partners, and stakeholders, to STAND WITH US. We call on you to advocate for systems that ensure LGBTQI+ refugees are granted the legal recognition and protection they deserve.

To our LGBTQI+ allies: Active allyship requires more than just vocal support. It demands action. It means using your platform to amplify the voices of the most marginalised in our community. It means standing with us in the fight for better, more inclusive policies that recognise and protect the rights of LGBTQI+ refugees. It means challenging xenophobic and anti-refugee narratives that seek to divide us.

We urge you to support our efforts in calling for the documentation and legal recognition of LGBTQI+ refugees. This is a matter of life and death for many. In doing so, you will not only be standing in solidarity with queer and trans refugees but also affirming that the fight for LGBTQI+ rights includes the fight for refugee rights.

We are tirelessly working to provide safe housing, advocacy, and support for queer and trans refugees. We have created a network (Queer & Trans Refugee Advisory Network, QTRAN), however, we cannot do this alone. We need the backing of the entire LGBTQI+ movement and our allies to push for the legal protections, policy changes, and safety nets that will ensure no LGBTQI+ refugee is left vulnerable.

Let’s unite as a community. Let’s demand action. Let’s build a future where all LGBTQI+ people, regardless of their nationality or status, can live free from fear, persecution, and violence.

As we march in Pride, let us remember that the true spirit of Pride lies in the fight for equality, justice, and dignity for all. This year, we must ensure that our LGBTQI+ refugee siblings are not left behind in that fight.

 

Thomars Shamuyarira is a Zimbabwean LGBTQI migrant rights activist and the founder and executive director of The Fruit Basket.