Description
People claiming asylum on the basis of a bisexual+ orientation appear much less likely to be successful than gay or lesbian claimants, despite facing the same risks of persecution. Bisexual+ people are therefore simultaneously understood as “too queer” in their countries of origin but “not queer enough” to access international protection in receiving states. I investigate how bisexual+ people are filtered out of the category of the “good queer refugee” in the UK and France. I explore the specific obstacles bisexual+ people face to a successful asylum claim and where these reflect or differ from those of other sexuality or gender identity-based asylum claims. To do so, I draw on semi-structured interviews with lawyers, workers and volunteers in support organisations, and people with lived experience. The analysis is informed by theories of racial capitalism, critical border studies and queer theory. The specificities of bisexual+ experiences provide an insight into asylum’s role in bordering and the sexualised nature of ideas of deservingness and access to mobility.
Keywords: LGBTQ+, asylum, migration, borders, sexuality
