Kenyan Mother, 51, Claims UK Asylum After LGBTQ-Related Threats

Virginia Wairimu, a 51-year-old LGBTQ+ asylum seeker from Kenya, has found solace in Birmingham's supportive community as she contends with the UK's immigration system.

Fleeing her homeland due to threats linked to her sexual orientation, Virginia now resides in Bournville, grappling with the Home Office's rejection of her initial asylum application. The authorities questioned the honesty of her sexual identity and suggested she return to Kenya and maintain discretion about her orientation. In Kenya, Virginia's life was characterized by fear and concealment. Raised in a conservative Catholic environment, she recognized early on that her family would not accept her sexuality. Succumbing to familial pressure, she entered into a marriage with an abusive man, eventually leaving the relationship with their young daughter.

As a single mother, Virginia channelled her energy into child-rearing and establishing a successful career as a travel advisor, managing her own tour company. However, she was compelled to keep her relationship with a woman secret to ensure their safety. Virginia recounts the terrifying nature of her situation, emphasizing that discretion was her only means of protection. Despite their efforts to maintain privacy, rumours circulated, resulting in multiple street attacks.

"My behaviour was perceived as immoral and satanic, prompting some to feel justified in punishing me. I realized that remaining in Kenya jeopardized both my life and my children's. For years, I attempted to conceal my true identity. It wasn't until I arrived in the UK that I could genuinely be myself." She explains.

The asylum application process in the UK has proven to be an arduous journey for Virginia. She describes it as a "traumatic" experience, citing inadequate counsel preparation and intrusive interview questions. The Home Office's suggestion that she could return to Kenya and live discreetly led to the denial of her application. Virginia contends that such a return would put her life at risk. In response to Virginia's plight, the Birmingham community has mobilized support, with a petition advocating for her right to remain in the UK amassing nearly 500 signatures.

The Home Office has stated that applications from individuals who have faced discrimination due to their sexual orientation are evaluated based on their individual merits. A report by the University of Birmingham, part of the Queer SEREDA project, reveals that LGBTQ+ individuals seeking asylum often encounter homophobic and transphobic abuse within the asylum system. The report details the sexual and gender-based violence experienced by queer forced migrants, highlighting a paradoxical situation where many feel compelled to conceal their identities for protection while simultaneously needing to expose their most intimate selves to validate their asylum claims.

The stringent burden of proof imposed by the recent Nationality and Borders Act requires LGBTQ+ asylum seekers to provide convincing accounts of their sexual or gender diversity. This necessitates the disclosure of aspects of their lives they have long learned to hide, creating a complex dynamic where they must navigate the dangers of both exposure and concealment.