LGBTIQ+ asylum and religion: individual faith, community belonging, and divine advocacy

Abstract

This article explores the lived experiences of religious LGBTIQ+ refugees and people seeking asylum in the United Kingdom. The study highlights three key themes resulting from religious and spiritual practices: individual resilience, community support, and divine asylum advocacy. Individual resilience is supported by spiritual practices that provide comfort amidst the uncertainty of the asylum process. Community support, through inclusive religious groups, cultivates a sense of belonging, responding to the challenges faced in the UK and one’s country of origin. Divine asylum advocacy illustrates how faith-based practices are assumed to influence legal outcomes, offering a sense of control over the asylum process. This study confronts the homosecular frameworks that depict religious adherence and queer identities as incompatible, advocating for inclusive approaches within asylum policies that recognize the multi-layered identities of LGBTIQ+ people seeking asylum, acknowledging the role of faith as a source of resilience and a strategic tool in navigating the asylum process.