Metropolitan Community Church of North London report examines the multiple issues facing LGBT African asylum seekers in the UK

A new report released this week looks at the issues facing LGBT African asylum seekers in the UK. The report was commissioned by the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) of North London with the support of the UK Lesbian and Gay Immigration Group (UKLGIG).

You can read the 85-page report here.

The report explains: "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."

It adds: "Though based on a small sample of participants, this report will hopefully be helpful to charities devising systems of support for LGBT African asylum seekers (and other groups facing similar issues). It could be used by Home Office officials or legislators who want to understand the issues faced by asylum seekers. Further, as one of the few studies about the interaction between faith and the issues facing LGBT asylum seekers, this report could be of great benefit to religious organisations seeking to help asylum seekers, or other bodies that simply want to understand better the role that faith has to play in the life of the many LGBT asylum seekers."

The report found that the asylum seekers who participated in the study faced multiple financial, psychological and emotional difficulties in the UK, as well as ongoing discrimination.

On the latter, the report notes: "There are continued experiences of discrimination after coming to the UK. They can still experience discrimination from family members, both communicating from Africa and residing in the UK. African asylum seekers also still experience homophobia from others of a similar cultural background in the UK. Black Africans reported experiencing racism from the general UK population. In addition to this, there is stigma against asylum seekers and refugees. They also alleged discrimination against Africans within the asylum application process."

Being disbelieved and/or accused of lying in Home Office interviews was found to contribute to the asylum seekers' psychological and emotional issues.

The report states: "Many of them mentioned how distressing it is to be accused of lying so frequently, and how this makes it difficult to stay calm and collect their thoughts during the asylum interviews. They mentioned that the Home Office expects them to be very 'out' about their sexual orientation if they want to be believed, which forces them to come out to friends or family they are living with, and then go through that rejection (and threat of homelessness) while already going through the other difficulties associated with the asylum application process. This creates a 'catch 22' situation in which the lack of financial or housing support sometimes forces asylum seekers to reside with homophobic friends or family, but staying with homophobic friends or family prevents them from being open about their sexuality, which can negatively affect the asylum application process."

In a press release accompanying the release of the report, UKLGIG highlighted that the report had also found the Home Office was using religion against LGBT asylum seekers and was asking LGBT people seeking asylum to explain how they can be Christian.

According to the report, 13% of the participants in the study said that their faith was in some way held against them in the asylum application process.

Leila Zadeh, Executive Director of UKLGIG, said: "The Home Office needs to stop assuming that LGBTQI+ people cannot be religious or that they experience a conflict with their religion. They also need to stop using lack of knowledge of the possibility of claiming asylum as an LGBTQI+ person as a reason for refusing to grant refugee protection."

Reverend Jak Davis of MCC North London said: "The research findings are extremely concerning. LGBT+ people in need of refuge and protection are some of the most vulnerable people in our society and it is imperative that they are afforded protection and safety, to be who they are and who God made them to be, while they go through the asylum process and after it ends."