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1. April 2021Four “Queer Refugees Deutschland” refugee activists in a debate with judges and attorneys
The asylum applications of lesbian, queer and bi-sexual refugees repeatedly pose particular challenges for government agencies in Germany; most especially the Federal Migration and Refugee Agency (BAMF). Many of the BAMF notifications are seized by the courts. Given this situation, the Catholic social “Akademie Franz Hitze Haus” invited the LSVD and four refugee activists to discuss issues related to homosexuality and bisexuality in the asylum process with judges and attorneys. The event was hosted as an online seminar of March 16, 2021 in close cooperation with the Catholic Office, the Commission of German Bishops and the Caritas organization.
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26. February 2021Hostility and violence targeting the LGBTIQ+ Community in shelters for refugees: protection concept study of the German federal states uncovers massive deficiencies
An article entitled “Sofern besonderer Bedarf identifiziert wurde” (“If special needs have been identified”) recently published in the science magazine “Freiburger Zeitschrift für Geschlechterstudien” uncovers massive deficiencies affiliated to the protection of LGBTIQ+ refugees in the violence protection concepts of Germany’s federal states. Authors Alva Träbert and Patrick Dörr compared the states’ violence protection concepts that were available in March 2019 with the measures identified as “minimum standards” for the protection of LGBTIQ+ refugees on the federal level. First and foremost, it is striking that of the 16 states in charge of housing refugees, only nine even have such a concept for their state-run shelters. Not even a third of the measures described in the “minimum standards” for the protection of LGBTIQ+ refugees can be found – on average – in these concepts.
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26. December 2020Special new information for transgender refugees
In the asylum process and when it comes to refugee accommodations, transgender persons face particular challenges. Moreover, many transgender refugees want to go through a transition in Germany. Some have already started this undertaking in their home countries or during their escape, others want to start the journey in Germany. Thus, they are looking for reliable information. The website Queer Refugees Deutschland now offers a guide for transgender refugees and migrants. However, in reality, it is often extremely difficult for transgender persons who are going through the asylum process to receive the specific medical services they need. The LGBTIQ+ organization Schwulenberatung Berlin has published a related expertise, which focuses on the specific legal situation of transgender persons in the asylum process.
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24. December 2020LSVD publishes a practical guide aiming at the protection of LGBTIQ+ refugees in shelters
At shelters, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTIQ+) refugees very often are the victims of violence. Hence, in refugee accomodation in Germany, they form a vulnerable group that requires special protection. Given their negative prior experiences in their original countries and the fear of violence at the shelter, most LGBTIQ+ refugees remain invisible at their housing facilities. As a consequence, their needs in terms of accommodations and support are frequently not taken into account. Given this situation, the Lesbian and Gay Federation in Germany (LSVD), on the occasion of the networking event of the “Federal Initiative for the Protection of Refugees in Refugee Shelters” published the new guideline “Leitfaden für die Praxis – LSBTIQ+*-sensibler Gewaltschutz für Geflüchtete.”
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9. December 2020Best Practices – The Eighth Nationwide Network Convention for Refugee LGBTIQ+Q Activists in Germany
The nationwide network of refugee LGBTIQ+Q activists recently met for the eighth time with the aim of continuing its activities on behalf of LGBTIQ+Q refugees. The meeting took place from October 9 through 12, 2020 in Cologne. This time, the topic of the workshop focused entirely on “Best Practices,” i.e. on proven and promising concepts for activist engagement. The networking event was embedded into the events affiliated with Cologne Pride, in which the LGBTIQ+Q activities were also involved.
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7. October 2020Articles on LGBTIQ++ refugees now publicly available
In issue 3/2020, Asylmagazin covered, among other things, two decisions of the German Federal Constitutional Court that strengthen the rights of LGBTIQ+ applicants and published a detailed commentary by Philipp Braun, Patrick Dörr (both LSVD) and Alva Träbert (Rosa Strippe).
