The Network Queer European Asylum organizes events that are committed to putting the lived experience of queer asylum at the centre of the conversation. It brings together LGBTQI+ refugees and persons seeking asylum, key academic scholars, practitioners, politicians, policy and civil society stakeholders to discuss and develop the relevance of the experiences of LGBTQI+ asylum practices in Germany for the EU. Our aim is to generate a knowledge exchange amongst a wide spectrum of actors who are involved with queer asylum.
15. June 2021 I Roundtable: The Istanbul Convention and Queer Women Seeking Asylum
Online
The roundtable discussed the following questions: What understanding of gender is evident in the Istanbul Convention? How is the Istanbul Convention implemented in Germany, especially with regard to refugee women? What experiences of violence do lesbian, bisexual, trans* and queer refugee women have?
9.-30. April 2021 I Online Event Series: “Queer Liberalisms and Marginal Mobility”
Online
This speaker series, organized by the Queer European Asylum Network and Migration Mobilities Bristol in collaboration with the Barnard Digital Humanities Center, features four events which brings into conversation the contributors to the special issue “Queer Liberalisms and Marginal Mobility.” The special issue will be published by Ethnic and Racial Studies in Spring 2022.
13. November 2020 I Recognition and Prevention of Violence Against LGBTQI+ Persons on the Move
Online Symposium
This symposium foregrounded trans, intersex, lesbian and non-binary migrants and refugees’ experiences of asylum, challenging the often cis-homocentric and Eurocentric perspectives and views that continue to dominate queer asylum practice and policies. The thematic focus were firstly, the recognition of gender-based violence in the asylum claims of lesbian, inter and transgender persons and secondly, violence prevention against LGBTQI+ persons on the move in their country of arrival. In so doing, the panels asked what we can learn from these experiences and how they contribute to a more inclusive asylum policy – particularly with an eye towards the New Common European Asylum System. This symposium was concluded by a participatory performance which approached the topics arounds queer asylum, human rights and violence through testimonies and the writing of poems.
16., 23. and 30. October 2020 I Workshop series Political Participation and Empowerment for LGBTIQ+ refugees and asylum seekers
Online
The Federal Foundation Magnus Hirschfeld organized the online workshop series “Get involved! Political Participation and Empowerment“ in October 2020.
The workshop series was primarily aimed at LGBTIQ+ refugees and asylum seekers who are or want to become politically involved. The workshops took part in small groups and dealt with the following questions: How do political processes work in Germany? How can I make my demands public? How do I find allies? How can I use social media strategically?
14. October 2020 I This is Who I Am’ – LGBTQI+ experiences of the UK asylum process
9-10.30pm BST I Online
‘This Is Who I Am’ was presented by the theatre company ice&fire, which specialises in exploring human rights stories through performance. This virtual performance featured a reading of first-hand accounts of LGBTQI+ people’s experiences of seeking refuge in the UK and going through the UK asylum process.
4. September 2020 I Covid-19 and Queer Asylum Discussion Forum
Online
This Covid-19 and Queer Asylum Discussion forum is a closed online event. Invited are politicians, policy makers and practitioners to discuss the policy implications of the Covid-19 and Queer Asylum virtual symposium which took place on 29. April 2020 and as summarized in our policy brief. The aim of this discussion forum is to highlight the marginal experiences of LGBTQI+ refugees during the pandemic and demand action on the part of policy makers and politicians.
22. July 2020 I Online discussion on equal rights in asylum procedures for lesbian and queer refugee women on 22 July
Online
A violation of the freedom of sexual orientation and gender identity constitutes a right to asylum in Germany – nevertheless, statistically this right is denied to black lesbian and queer women who suffer oppression and persecution in their home countries because of their sexuality. Dr. Mengia Tschalaer (University of Bristol) found that this discrimination is based on stereotypical notions of lesbian sexuality which obviously do not correspond to the life realities of rejected asylum seekers. What has to change to reduce the structural discrimination of black lesbian and queer refugee women?
13. July 2020 I This is Who I Am: A Performance of LGBTQI+ Asylum Testimonies in the UK
Online
‘This Is Who I Am’ was presented by the theatre company ice&fire, which specialises in exploring human rights stories through performance. This virtual performance featured a reading of first-hand accounts of LGBTQI+ people’s experiences of seeking refuge in the UK and going through the UK asylum process.
29. April 2020 I Online Symposium: “COVID-19 and Queer Asylum
Online
COVID-19 & Queer Asylum was a virtual symposium featuring NGO representatives, lawyers and judges working on queer asylum, LGBTQI+ activists and LGBTQI+ persons seeking asylum/refugees from Germany. The Symposium consisted of three panels followed by a information session led by lawyers and LGBTQI+ asylum practitioners that allowed for a Q&A around COVID-19 and LGBTQI+ asylum.
