{"id":52152,"date":"2020-03-05T09:57:21","date_gmt":"2020-03-05T09:57:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jomec.co.uk\/intercardiff\/?p=52152"},"modified":"2020-10-30T13:29:20","modified_gmt":"2020-10-30T13:29:20","slug":"stepping-out-of-the-self-universe-the-story-of-a-cardiff-lgbt-activist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/global-city\/stepping-out-of-the-self-universe-the-story-of-a-cardiff-lgbt-activist","title":{"rendered":"Stepping out of the self universe: the story of a Cardiff LGBT+ activist"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">As LGBT+ history month has ended, a question is still begged: Is the UK inclusive enough for LGBT+ refugees and asylum seekers?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/\u5fae\u4fe1\u56fe\u7247_20200304114528-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-52207\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/\u5fae\u4fe1\u56fe\u7247_20200304114528-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-52207\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption>BAME LGBT+ meet-up group Glitter Cymru was marching along at Cardiff Pride  Credit: Numair Masud<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Numair Masud was privileged in many ways. He was raised in an upper-middle-class family in Karachi, Pakistan. He passed A-level exams in his home country and then studied zoology at the University of Bristol. Currently, he is a final year PhD student researching animal welfare at Cardiff University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But one thing has repressed him through his growth. He is a gay man, but he couldn&#8217;t talk about it openly otherwise he would be imprisoned for life or even be killed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pakistan&#8217;s Penal Code Section 377 criminalises the sexual intercourse between men with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, while Hudood Ordinance following Sharia law principles imposes harsher penalties-stoning the gay couples to death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">At least 68 countries criminalise consensual same-sex acts <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"552\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/mapping-1024x552.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-52357\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/mapping-1024x552.png 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/mapping-300x162.png 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/mapping-768x414.png 768w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/mapping-1536x827.png 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/mapping-2048x1103.png 2048w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/mapping-500x269.png 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"552\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/mapping-1024x552.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-52357\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/mapping-1024x552.png 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/mapping-300x162.png 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/mapping-768x414.png 768w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/mapping-1536x827.png 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/mapping-2048x1103.png 2048w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/mapping-500x269.png 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption>InterCardiff graphic   Source: International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA World)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t know how to express that (gay identity) because I never had any practice doing that in Pakistan, so I did struggle to come to terms with that,&#8221; said Numair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He used to avoid being judged by people, either in terms of being BAME (Black, Asian and minority ethnic) or being a sexual minority. &#8220;I&#8217;m this island and I don&#8217;t need to operate on the labels. I can just operate under this vague enigma of Numair.&#8221; While tasting freedom in the UK, he had barely anyone to share with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He said he didn&#8217;t feel the need to shout from the rooftops and reach out to the community. But at the end of his undergraduate degree, he realised that he didn&#8217;t have a single friend in the UK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While applying for his master&#8217;s degree, he decided not to confine himself anymore. He downloaded Grindr, a dating app designed for gay men. &#8220;I did develop a thicker skin and I learned to take more rejections. I learned to take more unusual comments about the colour of my skin or about the way I look.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He started to meet people and make meaningful connections with them.<br>Now, he has found his community, engaged in LGBT+ activism, and claimed asylum which means he is granted equivalent rights to live and work as UK citizens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He is one of the lucky guys among the LGBT+ immigrants in this country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/\u5fae\u4fe1\u56fe\u7247_20200304114843-575x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-52215\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/\u5fae\u4fe1\u56fe\u7247_20200304114843-575x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-52215\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption>Numair Masud attended Barry Pride  Credit: Numair Masud<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">&#8220;The Home Office does not believe you&#8217;re gay&#8221;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/uk-news\/2019\/sep\/02\/home-office-refused-thousands-of-lgbt-asylum-claims-figures-reveal\"><em>The Guardian<\/em><\/a> revealed that the Home Office has declined at least 3,100 asylum claims from LGBT+ nationals from countries that criminalise homosexual behaviours. LGBT+ asylum seekers have to prove their identity to the Home Office and immigration court, and the process could be disturbing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;The Home Office does not believe you&#8217;re gay. He said you do not look too gay. You can be discreet in your country. He said that to my face. I was a mess when I found out my court was in a month later. I was emotionally suffering. My court was successful but it was horrible to be interviewed about my sex life in front of a judge.&#8221; Ourania Vamvaka, a Cardiff University researcher, quoted one of the informants in her study of LGBT+ immigrants in South Wales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/IMG_8206-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-52361\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/IMG_8206-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/IMG_8206-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/IMG_8206-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/IMG_8206-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/IMG_8206-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/IMG_8206-500x333.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/IMG_8206-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-52361\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/IMG_8206-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/IMG_8206-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/IMG_8206-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/IMG_8206-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/IMG_8206-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/IMG_8206-500x333.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption> Ourania Vamvaka shared the findings of her study about LGBT+ immigrants in South Wales<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;This is a particularly prevalent struggle for LGBT asylum seekers as they are justified of their sexuality by narrating their deeds,&#8221; said Ourania. &#8220;Those narratives of proof become particularly challenging for those who have experienced sexual violence assault and torture and may struggle with depression.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"432\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/xoo1f-percentage-range-of-lgbt-refugees-and-asylum-seekers-having-mental-health-problems-1024x432.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-52175\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/xoo1f-percentage-range-of-lgbt-refugees-and-asylum-seekers-having-mental-health-problems-1024x432.png 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/xoo1f-percentage-range-of-lgbt-refugees-and-asylum-seekers-having-mental-health-problems-300x127.png 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/xoo1f-percentage-range-of-lgbt-refugees-and-asylum-seekers-having-mental-health-problems-768x324.png 768w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/xoo1f-percentage-range-of-lgbt-refugees-and-asylum-seekers-having-mental-health-problems-500x211.png 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/xoo1f-percentage-range-of-lgbt-refugees-and-asylum-seekers-having-mental-health-problems.png 1380w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"432\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/xoo1f-percentage-range-of-lgbt-refugees-and-asylum-seekers-having-mental-health-problems-1024x432.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-52175\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/xoo1f-percentage-range-of-lgbt-refugees-and-asylum-seekers-having-mental-health-problems-1024x432.png 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/xoo1f-percentage-range-of-lgbt-refugees-and-asylum-seekers-having-mental-health-problems-300x127.png 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/xoo1f-percentage-range-of-lgbt-refugees-and-asylum-seekers-having-mental-health-problems-768x324.png 768w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/xoo1f-percentage-range-of-lgbt-refugees-and-asylum-seekers-having-mental-health-problems-500x211.png 500w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/intercardiff\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2020\/03\/xoo1f-percentage-range-of-lgbt-refugees-and-asylum-seekers-having-mental-health-problems.png 1380w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Apart from the difficulty of applying for asylum, LGBT+ immigrants lack a safe place to tell their stories. Ourania also mentioned the homophobic sentiment around LGBT+ immigrants&#8217; accommodation which intimidates them to express their identity. A participant in her study said: &#8220;I came to the UK to be free and be myself. The moment I entered the house I was back in the closet.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even within the LGBT+ community, refugees and asylum seekers, who are usually BAME as well, are the most discriminated. Being a refugee, Numair said the label always comes around him. &#8220;Whatever you view yourself, the image of a refugee in our world today is never positive.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;We fought for years and years to not being labelled as facts and a square, not being labelled as feminine and unnatural,&#8221; said Numair. &#8220;We&#8217;ve fought against labels all our lives and then we create new ones. In theory, we are united, but in practice, we&#8217;re not.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Working as a part-time LGBT+ activist, Numair went through case files of asylum seekers and attested to them in the immigration courts, though he said the process could be time-consuming and emotional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He also works actively in Glitter Cymru, a monthly social meet-up group for BAME LGBT+ people. He is trying to create a safe place for those people to share their experience and find others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;We often think our story is the worst or we&#8217;re the centre of our universe, but there are other universes out there. If you don&#8217;t discover them, then you&#8217;re just a lonely universe,&#8221; said Numair. &#8220;A big part of healing is being able to relate to other people&#8217;s suffering and realizing you&#8217;re not the only one suffering and you&#8217;re not the only one who&#8217;s lonely.&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As LGBT+ history month has ended, a question is still begged: Is the UK inclusive enough for LGBT+ refugees and asylum seekers?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":458,"featured_media":52363,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[303,767],"coauthors":[697],"class_list":["post-52152","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-global-city","tag-lgbtq","tag-refugees"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.2 - 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