McMUN 2020

Equal Rights Coalition: Global Summit on LGBTQIA+ Rights Anushkay Raza Rachel Habrih Anikait Panikker Zachary Couture Land Acknowledgement

We are located on unceded lands which have traditionally served as a site of meeting and exchange amongst Indigenous peoples.

The Kanien’kehà:ka, who are a founding nation of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, are recognized as the traditional stewards of the lands and waters.

Equal Rights Coalition: Global Summit on LGBTQIA+ Rights Dear Delegates,

Team Committees is incredibly excited to introduce you to your committee for McMUN 2020! Each year, the conference’s Daisies work hard to create background guides that will introduce you to topics you will debate throughout the weekend, and this year is no exception. Whether you are coming to McMUN to discuss issues such as land disputes in one of our General Assemblies, take part in one of our innova- tive specialized agencies, or participate in one of our many (a)historical crises, your weekend is sure to be full of exciting and engaging discussions.

That being said, please keep in mind the importance of being respectful to your fellow delegates, and to all staffers throughout the weekend. An atmosphere of respect and kindness in committee creates a space where everyone is able to participate to their full potential, and to thrive. Please do feel free to reach out to any of us, to your Daisies, or to our Director of Equity, Yasmina Male, if you have any ques- tions about what constitutes respectful and appropriate debate in committee.

Finally, in addition to participating in our array of committees, we encourage you to take full advantage of your weekend in Montreal. McMUN 2020’s Events team has worked hard to ensure that our signature events, such as McCrawl and McParte, are better than ever this year. You can also explore many of the city’s gems, such as the Fine Arts Museum, the botanical gardens, or even try a classic Montreal dish, like poutine! There are so many ways to make your weekend at the conference memorable.

If at any point you have any inquiries about the content of your background guide, please feel free to contact either your Dais, your Deputy, or the USG Committees, Natalie Schaller.

We welcome you again to McMUN 2020, and we cannot wait to meet you all in January!

Warmly,

Your McMUN 2020 Team Committees, Natalie Schaller, USG Committee Affairs, [email protected] Karin Kassabian, Deputy USG Committees, General Assemblies and ECOSOCs, [email protected] Dalton Liggett, Deputy USG Committees, Specialized Agencies, [email protected] Emile Lambert-Deslandes, Deputy USG Committees, Crises, [email protected]

Equal Rights Coalition: Global Summit on LGBTQIA+ Rights Honorable delegates,

Welcome to the The Equal Rights Coalition: Global Summit on LGBTQIA2+ Rights!

My name is Anushkay Raza, and I have the privilege of being your chair for McMUN 2020. As a final year student majoring in Political Science and Economics at McGill, I am incredibly excited for this conference, as this McMUN conference will be my last one. I have no doubt that it will be phenomenal. Being fortunate enough to be raised in Oakville Ontario, my Model UN career began in grade eight and since then, I have staffed and been apart of numerous conferences. Moreover, I have had the pleasure of chairing at both SSUNs and McMUN for the last two years, and I am incredibly honoured to have been given the opportunity to do it one final time. I truly cannot wait to meet all of you and witness the meaningful debates and discussions that will take place in this wonderful committee. With that being said, it is my pleasure that I introduce to you the rest of your dias: Zachary Couture, Rachel Habrih and Anikait Panikker. Zachary Couture is a second year student pursuing a joint honours in Political Science and Islamic Studies. Zachary Is from Edmonton, Alberta, and it is there in high school that he discovered his love for Model United Nations. Having been a delegate numerous times, a counsellor for the Seminar on the United Nations and International Affairs (S.U.N.I.A.), and a strong and longtime advocate for LGBTQ rights; Zachary is excited to be working at McMUN in the Equal Rights coalition. Rachel Habrih is a third-year student majoring in International Development and Political Science. This is Rachel’s second year sitting on a dais at McMUN, and 7th year doing Model UN. She is excited to welcome delegates from all walks of life and to create a safe space in which tolerance, respect and understanding fuels debate. Last but not least; Anikait Panikker is a second-year student pursuing a major in Life Sciences, with a specialization in Biotechnology. Being brought up in Calgary, Alberta, Anikait has been apart of Model UN since the beginning of high school, and he is not slowing down anytime soon! Heading into his fifth-year doing Model UN, he brings a ton of delegate and chairing experiences, and he is definitely more than excited to be apart of this committee! Over the weekend, the Equal Rights Coalition will be discussing urgent and pertinent topics in today’s world, including: (1) LGBTQ+ Youth and Homelessness, and (2) LGBTQ+ Asylum Seekers. In order for everyone to enjoy a weekend of insightful debate, we ask that delegates come to each committee session well-prepared and enthusiastic to debate. The complexity of this material requires a great deal of understanding and empathy, and we have faith that you will rise to the task. We also want to emphasize the importance of respect, whether you’re speaking on the floor or writing a draft resolution. We are humans before we are delegates, and thus it is crucial that everyone respects each other, so we can have a safe and exciting weekend.

Our team has been preparing for months to present you with a committee that will challenge and engage you. We are so excited to see what everyone brings to the debate.

Much love, Anushkay Raza Chair, Equal Rights Coalition: Global Summit on LGBTQIA2+ Rights. For anyone needing clarification on terms used in this background guide, please check the end of the document for a list of important definitions.

Equal Rights Coalition: Global Summit on LGBTQIA+ Rights Topic I: LGBTQIA2+ Asylum Seekers

An asylum seeker is someone who has applied for protection as a refugee and is waiting for some kind of confirmation or response regarding their status1. Asylum seekers are not yet refugees, they are in the process of, if lucky, becoming refugees, or if unlucky, being denied that status. Being an asylum seeker is difficult, especially when you are a part of an already marginalized community such as the LGBTQ+ community. LGBTQ+ asylum seekers are those who seek asylum due to persecution caused by the fact that they are LGBTQ+. The first aspect of this topic that will be tackled through this background guide is the root causes of forced migration amongst the LGBTQ+ community. Then, we will go into the process of asylum seeking: the refugee claims, the oppression that individuals face throughout the asylum-seeking process, and the reality of detention centres. Finally, we will analyze the existing legislation for LGBTQ+ asylum seekers and the role that the international community plays in making the safety of the worldwide LGBTQ+ community. In countries where same-sex relationships are criminalized or where discrimination against LGBTQ+ people is common, these members of the LGBTQ+ community face prosecution and live in fear for their lives. Some trans and intersex folks find themselves in countries where identifying the way they feel is criminalized. In those situations, having access to healthcare, housing and employment is nearly impossible. In some cases, even if there is no prosecution, the state will still fail to protect LGBTQ+ individuals from violence, harassment, and social isolation that individuals might be experiencing as a result of a homophobic culture of their country of origin, which pushes these individuals to find safety elsewhere. A study made by Stonewall, in which multiple members of the LGBTQ+ community were in the process of seeking asylum, shows the reality of being part of the LGBTQ+ community and seeking asylum through interviews with LGBTQ+ asylum seekers. The interviewees were asked about their living situation in their home countries. They described it as living in constant fear: “Interviewees described how they have faced immense pressure, discrimination and violence in their daily lives. Many were living under the constant fear of being persecuted by their immediate communities”2. In some cases, given their marginalized position in society, LGBTQ+ individuals are more vulnerable to acts of violence and abuse. In these situations, those in the LGBTQ+ community may not have anyone to turn to: family members may have turned their backs, individuals can be sent to facilities where gay conversion therapy is practiced and where they are subject to physical violence. Because of the intensity of the persecution that the LGBTQ+ community faces in their home countries, they are either forced to hide their sexual orientation or gender identity or seek asylum in a more accepting country. Seeking this asylum commences a long process of paperwork, questioning, and emotional 1 Refugees, United. 2019. “Asylum-Seekers”. UNHCR. https://www.unhcr.org/asylum-seekers.html. 2 Bachmann, Chaka L. 2016. “No Safe Refuge: Experiences Of LGBT Asylum Seekers In Detention”. Stonewall, pg. 11.

Equal Rights Coalition: Global Summit on LGBTQIA+ Rights Because of the intensity of the persecution that the LGBTQ+ community faces in their home countries, they are either forced to hide their sexual orientation or gender identity or seek asylum in a more accepting country. Seeking this asylum commences a long process of paperwork, questioning, and emotional labour in which LGBTQ+ individuals must prove their need for asylum. Another obstacle for this topic is the lack of international acknowledgment of the LGBTQ+ community and of LGBTQ+ rights. But, in recent years, there has been progress through the passing of multiple resolutions addressing the violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and

gender identity1. Although the international community has grown to become more accepting and tolerant of those belonging to the LGBTQ+ community, members of this community are still subject to criminalization, imprisonment, the death penalty, and inadequate government protection. These are the kinds of circumstances that push LGBTQ+ members to seek asylum.

Asylum seeking in Canada as a member of the LGBTQ+ community Canada is one of the most progressive countries in terms of granting asylum for LGBTQ+ asylum seekers. In 1991, it was one of the first countries to grant refugee status due to persecution based on

one’s sexual orientation2. Thanks to the Canada (Attorney General) v. Ward Supreme Court Case, Canada included the LGBTQ+ community and GSM (gender and sexual minorities) within the parameters of a “particular social group” that is eligible for asylum seeking in Canada. To this day, Canada is one of the few countries that accept refugee claims on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation. Nonetheless, the refugee process in Canada, the process in which LGBTQ+ asylum seekers must go through questioning by immigration officers, requires individuals to prove their sexual orientation and gender identity in accordance with what LGBTQ+ refugees are expected to behave in the Western world3. Many immigration judges who are responsible for the future of asylum claims made by LGBTQ+ asylum seekers can be very critical and uninformed about issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community on an international scale. These judges can sometimes ask intrusive and inappropriate questions that rely on Western stereotypes of what it means to be LGBTQ+.

Being LGBTQ+ in detention centres In detention centers, researchers have found that LGBTQ+ asylum seekers are especially vulnerable. They experience discrimination, violence and harassment from both the staff and other detainees of the detention centre: “Some interviewees reported accounts of inappropriate remarks, 1 “Resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council 32/2”. 2016. Human Rights Council. 2 Lee, Edward Ou Jin; Brotman, Shari (2011-08-01). “Identity, Refugeeness, Belonging: Experiences of Sexual Minority Refugees in Canada”. Canadian Review of Sociology. 48 (3): 241–274. 3 Murray, David AB (2014-05-13). “The (not so) straight story: Queering migration narratives of sexual orientation and gendered identity refugee claimants”. Sexualities. 17 (4): 451–471.

Equal Rights Coalition: Global Summit on LGBTQIA+ Rights intimidation and even having their food thrown away as a form of punishment by detention officers”4. This kind of environment of fear has long term negative effects on a person’s mental and physical well- being. The harsh conditions that LGBTQ asylum seekers face in detention centers in countries that are supposed to be their refuge are the same conditions that they are trying to escape from in their home countries. The distress felt in one’s country of origin is felt once again in detention centres in so-called ‘safe’ and ‘accepting’ countries. The process of asylum seeking for members of the LGBTQ+ community is full of fear, questioning, detention, and being forced to justify and prove your belonging to the LGBTQ+ community. For most LGBTQ+ asylum seekers, there are three stages to the process of asylum seeking: pre-detention, during detention, and post-detention. You become subject to questioning concerning your queerness. This adds to the difficulty of asylum seeking for those in the LGBTQ+ community. Every stage of the process represents new obstacles for the LGBTQ+ asylum seeker. Pre-detention consists of a lot of filling out documentation, in which you have to prove, in writing, why you are seeking asylum, therefore having to explain and open up about your queerness. The detention period is filled with questioning and unlawful treatment by the detention officers, which can cause psychological trauma for the detainees. Finally, the third and final stage, the post-detention period, is a period in which detainees have to deal with all the stress and anxiety they’ve endured while being in detention. Depending on whether their application for asylum was accepted, they’ll either have to go back to their country of origin or have to restart their life in the country of asylum.

Being an LGBTQ+ asylum seeker To fully tackle this topic, it is important to understand the complexity of asylum seeking for LGBTQ+ folks. To understand such a thing, we will be looking at a case from just two years ago where an Iraqi man was refused asylum for not being “gay enough”. This decision made by Austrian asylum officers is fuelled by Western-informed ideas and conceptions of what it means to be gay. This goes back to the issue of LGBTQ+ asylum seekers having to “prove” their queerness in order to be granted asylum: “LGBT asylum seekers are required to provide witness statements as evidence of their sexual orientation or gender identity”5.

Legislation on asylum seeking In regard to asylum seeking, there are two main pieces of legislation: the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees. The first defines

4 Bachmann, Chaka L. 2016. “No Safe Refuge: Experiences Of LGBT Asylum Seekers In Detention”. Stonewall, pg. 19. 5 Bachmann, Chaka L. 2016. “No Safe Refuge: Experiences Of LGBT Asylum Seekers In Detention”. Stonewall, pg. 25.

Equal Rights Coalition: Global Summit on LGBTQIA+ Rights who is a refugee, the rights that go along with such status, and the responsibilities of the country that grants refuge. Neither of the two pieces of legislation bring up sexual orientation as an eligible factor for asylum seeking.

Past UN Resolutions The international community’s awareness of the impact that encouraging discussions on the rights of the LGBTQIA2+ peoples have not been great as they could be. It was not until recently that the United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a resolution in 2016, on “Protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation, and gender identity”6 . This resolution calls upon the appointment of an independent expert on the subject. When further detailing the responsibilities of the aforementioned expert, they are required to assess the effectiveness of the implementation of existing international human rights law, and raising awareness of violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The expert’s priorities also include engaging in dialogue and consultation with member-states, and providing advisory services to help address violence and discrimation on the matter of the subject8. As these gradual advancements continue to take place on a yearly basis, it is important to keep in mind that this resolution regarding the rights and freedoms of LGBTQIA2+ peoples wasn’t the first response taken by the international community. In fact, this resolution builds upon resolution 17/19 adopted in 2011. Having been regarded as the initial effort to bring awareness to the matter of sexual orientation and gender identity; resolution 17/19 requested a study to be completed with regard to the

discriminatory laws and practices and acts of violence against LGBTQ2+ people7. This initial response for dialogue to be conducted at an international level was seen as the first step in bringing attention to violations faced by LGBTQIA2+ people. In fact, the violent opposition to the LGBTQ+ community in the global south did not exist before missionaries and colonialism. The adoption of resolution 17/19 set a standard enabling the international community to take responsibility to safeguard persons at risk of violence and discrimination because of gender identity are not sidelined8. Regardless of the scale, any effort put on by, whether it may be an individual, a group, a non-governmental organization, or even the international community, should be welcomed. If it weren’t for the small steps taken by activists all around the world, there would not be such efforts by international organizations to adopt frequent resolutions in the aid of LGBTQIA2+ people.

6 “UN Makes History on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity.” Human Rights Watch. June 30, 2016. 7 United Nations. Human Rights Council. “17/19 Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.” News release, June 17, 2011. Human Rights Documents. 8 Ibid.

Equal Rights Coalition: Global Summit on LGBTQIA+ Rights National Positions on LGBTQ+ Asylum Seekers It takes the participation of all member-states to make an international organization like the United Nations, yet the adoption of a resolution does not mean that all countries support the document and its contents. In fact, to this day, seventy-one countries criminalize same-sex acts. Unfortunately, of the eight member-states that impose the death penalty, four implements the brutal punishment9. As Saudi Arabia and Yemen are among the four, it should be noted that a plethora of other states have taken action to accept LGBTQIA2+ people into their respective rules of law. With such efforts taken by many countries to accept same sex couples, there’s still quite a lot of work to do. In recent timelines, the international population of refugees and asylum seekers have increased substantially10. Now, the question arises why do LGBTQ+ people seek asylum? As was mentioned previously , many countries including Jamaica, Iran, and Sudan persecute and imprison LGBTQ+ individuals. In some cases, many are sentenced to death based on their sexual orientation and/or gender identity11. In addition, transgender individuals can be victims of forced sterilizations, domestic violence, forced sex work, and even institutionalized violence at the hands of the police in their respective regions12. With the plethora of member-states that do not persecute LGBTQIA2+ people, only a handful of them are desired destinations for asylum seekers. Even with the United States being one of the prime countries due to its acceptance of SOGIE (sexual orientation and gender identity expression), the process of seeking asylum as a sexual minority or transgender individual is complicated. To gain refuge in the U.S. applicants are forced to disclose their LGBTQ identity to convince asylum officers that they are truly displaced due to their gender identity and would be persecuted in their home country. Furthermore, the U.S. requires asylum seekers to prove that they have suffered past persecution or have a well-founded fear of persecution13. Disclosing sexual violence, complying with the compressed timelines for filing for asylum, and feeling forced to come out before they are ready can be psychologically damaging for LGBTQ asylum seekers14. It is not just the United States that offers a prime destination for LGBTQ asylum seekers, Canada also remains a desired safe-haven. Canada is one of 42 countries in the world that has granted refuge to individuals that are facing persecution from their home countries based on sexual or gender identity/

9 Vance, Kim, et al. “The Rise of SOGI: Human Rights for LGBT People at the United Nations.” Envisioning Global LGBT Human Rights: (Neo)Colonialism, Neoliberalism, Resistance and Hope, edited by Nick J. Mulé et al., School of Advanced Study, University of London, London, 2018, pp. 223–246. 10 Ibid. 11 Itaborahy, Lucas Paoli, and Jingshu Zhu. “A World Survey of Laws: Criminalisation, Protection and Recognition of Same-sex Love.” International Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans and Intersex Association9th Edition (May 2014): 1-96. 12 American Psychological Association. “LGBTQ Asylum Seekers.” News release, 2018. APA. 13 Heller, Pamela. “Challenges Facing LGBT Asylum-Seekers: The Role of Social Work in Correcting Oppressive Immigra- tion Processes.” Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services21, no. 2-3 (2009): 294-308. doi:10.1080/10538720902772246. 14 KAHN, SARILEE, and EDWARD J. ALESSI. “Performing for Their Lives: LGBT Individuals Seeking Asylum.” OUP- blog(blog), June 9, 2018.

Equal Rights Coalition: Global Summit on LGBTQIA+ Rights expression15. When going in detail with Canada’s asylum process, refugee claimants have 15 days from making a claim when they arrive in the country to submit necessary documents. During this time period, the applicants need to find a lawyer, secure financial assistance, and gather evidence to support their application. Even though the Canadian government recognises persecution based on SOGIE, complexities arise when it also requires applicants LGBTQIA2+ refugees provide documentation not only of persecution, but also proof of their sexual orientation and gender identity16. Sadly, not all asylum applicants have access to such documentation like police reports and medical files. As these individuals seeking refuge have fled developing countries, such information is highly unattainable due to a lack of

organizational infrastructure regarding sensitive documents in their respective home countries17. As many LGBTQIA2+ people displaced from their homes look to find a habitable location, those who turn to Canada and seek refugee do not have it any easier. Canada’s immigration system forces newcomers fighting with SOGIE into highly stressful scenarios where identification with the persecuted group must be proved. Unfortunately, unfavourable legal processes creates additional burden for applications that can often have prolonged effects on their mental health18. Since covering case studies for the acceptance of asylum seekers in the two major nations in North America, it should also be necessary to focus on the last country remaining: Mexico. Although the country is not known for its destination for LGBTQIA2+ people, there is an influx of individuals who are displaced that are of Mexican origin. In recent years, statistics show that there is an increased number of individuals seeking refuge in Mexico; the number of asylum claims has increased from 2,137 in 2014 to 14,596 in 2017. Even with such high numbers, those who have been accepted still face inhabitable living conditions. A case study presents that LGBTQ individuals in Mexico experience verbal, physical, and sexual assaults; unstable environments; fear for their safety; have to hide their undocumented status; and

economic insecurity, as they simply cannot keep up with living costs19. As aforementioned, not only do health issues arise in Canada, but those accepted into countries like Mexico also experience depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, isolation, drug/alcohol use, sleep issues, and even suicidal ideation. Even though those who have been granted asylum have suffered from health issues, these individuals rarely sought health or social services, even when sufficient resources are in place20. Further progress can be achieved when health practitioners create a network of service organizations that are focused on the needs of LGBTQ people; expanding community-based research on the intersection of transgender identites, ethnicity and race , and socioeconomic status; providing communication training and resources 15 Mulé, Nick J., and Kathleen Gamble. “Haven or Precarity?: The Mental Health of LGBT Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Canada.” Envisioning Global LGBT Human Rights: (Neo)Colonialism, Neoliberalism, Resistance and Hope, edited by Nick J. Mulé et al., School of Advanced Study, University of London, London, 2018, pp. 205–220. 16 Ibid. 17 Ibid. 18 Ibid. 19 Gowin, Mary, E. Laurette Taylor, Jamie Dunnington, Ghadah Alshuwaiyer, and Marshall K. Cheney. 2017. “Needs Of A Silent Minority: Mexican Transgender Asylum Seekers”. Health Promotion Practice 18 (3): 332-340. 20 Ibid.

Equal Rights Coalition: Global Summit on LGBTQIA+ Rights for health-care providers; and employingtrusted community members to promote available resources to those granted asylum21. Having focused thus far on the procedures in North America, it is also important to identify how sexual orientation and gender identity issues are treated around the world. In 2019, same-sex couples in Taiwan claimed their SOGIE as the country took a progressive step by legally recognizing same-sex marriages. While on the other side of the spectrum, Kenya’s high court ruled that it will continue to keep laws which criminalize same-sex relations. Additionally, Brazil’s high court ruled that homophobic and transphobic discrimination is a crime22. While some countries continue to take a step back when it comes to the rights and freedoms of LGBTQIA2+ people, there are many others who work toward moving in the forward direction. For example, according to a study, Argentina’s social acceptance of LGBTQ+ people is among the highest in the Western Hemisphere, and astonishingly higher than the United States23. This example can be contrasted by examining The North of Central America (NCA), which is made up of Honduras, Guatemala, and El Savador. Not only do the LGBTQIA2+ people get affected by this, but the majority of the population in the aforementioned experience high levels of crime from gangs and drug cartels that recruit children by force, extorting money from small business owners through kidnapping, sexually abusing women and girls, and last but not least, threatening LGBTQ+ individuals24. It is astonishing to see that even though NCA countries and Argentina share the same continent, SOGIE issues are treated very differently between the two. In fact, Argentina is a world leader when it comes to legal protections for the LGBTQ community. In 2010, the country became the first in Latin America and the tenth in the world to legalize same-sex marriages25. Although the country has reached extraordinary milestones, Argentina still has work to do when it comes to allowing LGBTQ individuals to properly integrate into society. When asylum seekers enter into the country, many face difficulties like having no financial compensation like salary and no housing opportunities. Quite frankly, the only support provided to those entering Argentina is basic humanitarian care that is funded by the UNHCR for a maximum period of three months26. Taking a look at the other side of the world, Australia has recently takena big leap in the right direction by legalizing same-sex marriage in 2017. A commonwealth nation known for its development in terms of economic, and political infrastructure, its worldview on sexual orientation and gender expression issues has not been immediate as other developed nations. With such a recent change in social dynamics in the country, the ability for its citizens to accept those within the LGBTQIA2+ community is increasingly 21 Gowin, Mary, E. Laurette Taylor, Jamie Dunnington, Ghadah Alshuwaiyer, and Marshall K. Cheney. 2017. “Needs Of A Silent Minority: Mexican Transgender Asylum Seekers”. Health Promotion Practice 18 (3): 332-340. 22 Smith, Erika W. “10 Very Different Countries. 10 Very Different Rules For LGBTQ Individuals.” Pride Around The World: LGBT Rights By Country 2019 Map. May 21, 2019. 23 Ibid. 24 Cabrera, Erla. “Gay Refugee from Central America Finds Safety in Canada.” United Nations High Commissioner For Refugees(blog), January 9, 2019. 25 Ibid. 26 Ibid. Equal Rights Coalition: Global Summit on LGBTQIA+ Rights difficult. All though the nation’s laws protect anti-LGBTQIA2+ discrimination in schools and workplaces, the enforcement of such laws become weaker in the general public. For example, Australia’s LGBTQIA2+

Legal Services recorded 220 incidents of hate speech in 2017 alone27. Even with the LGBT community suffering internally in the country, Australia has also earned earned criticism for the treatment of such refugees seeking asylum. As displaced individuals seek a safe and habitable place in Australia, the country’s policies and practices send a hypocritical outlook towards the rights and freedoms of those identify as SOGIE. Being a developed commonwealth nation doesn’t necessarily equate to accepting all individuals. In fact, Australia actively sends LGBTQIA2+ asylum seekers to locations where they are likely to be criminalized and persecuted. In 2016, the head of Immigration stated that the government had no concerns that those looking for refuge in Australia were being detained in Papua New Guinea, where same-sex activity is punishable with up to 14 years in prison. In most cases, the government is able to identify same-sex activities through the general public of Papua New Guinea reporting such activities to local police. On the other hand, the government is also able to identify the sexual orientation of someone by looking at their LGBTQIA2+ asylum application, where such identification has to be proved in order to attain asylum28. Unfortunately, the harassment of LGBT refugees does not end in detention, even Australia’s process of granting asylum brings stressful situations onto hopeful individuals. There are times where the country’s courts provide a strict line of questioning towards asylum seekers. In recent years, the questions were sexually explicit for the sole reason of maintaining credibility that applicants truly identified as part of the LGTBQ community29. Refugees have felt forced to produce sexually explicit documentation and have been asked about their sexual practices. Unfortunately, many countries have not taken proper action to inhibit such violations; the main reason why such documentation is required in the asylum process is to validate that displaced LGBTQIA2+ individuals have indeed been persecuted in their home country. For a developed commonwealth nation like Australia, it seems out of this world to have judicial personnel violate privacy and humanitarian rights like aforementioned. As a contrast, the European Union have disallowed such questioning. In 2014, the Court of Justice of the European Union enforced that an asylum seeker’s privacy rights and freedoms are violated when questioned about

sexual practices30. In fact, the union recognized that discrediting an applicant because they initially did not legally identify as LGBT is lawfully wrong.

The Asylum Process Unfortunately, countries like Australia, Canada, and the U.S. have established processes for 27 Cabrera, Erla. “Gay Refugee from Central America Finds Safety in Canada.” United Nations High Commissioner For Refugees(blog), January 9, 2019. 28 Dawson, Jasmine. “Looking Into: Australia’s Approach to LGBTIQ Asylum Seekers and Refugees.” Australian Institute of International Affairs. July 2, 2017. 29 Ibid. 30 Ibid.

Equal Rights Coalition: Global Summit on LGBTQIA+ Rights asylum applicants which are unfavourable. As aforementioned, Saudi Arabia is one of four countries in the world which has implemented the death penalty for individuals who participate in same-sex activites31. Consequently, the country has one of the lowest social acceptance rates for LGBTQ+ folks in the world32. Another infamous nation which shares the same views as Saudi Arabia in regards to same- sex acts is Russia. In 2013, the country passed a federal law known as “gay propaganda law.” The law makes propaganda of unorthodox sexual relationships illegal. Even as violent crimes against the LGBTQ community doubled since the passing of the gay propaganda law, the support of gay rights continue to grow in the general population. A 2019 poll indicates that 47% of Russians now support equal rights for the LGBTQ+ community, a 14-year high33. With every global issue, it starts with the people. In today’s world, through the help of the digital media, the general population is empowered to influence others. In fact, there has been so much change that the population is allowed to hold powerful individuals accountable. In fact, it is the dangerous work that activists do in order to shift public opinion and work toward equality - it is often activists, and not politicians or lawmakers who change the minds of the public and create a more accepting social environment. As with any problem, it always starts at the top. The international community can aide such activists by creating movements and standardized policies that all nations are obliged to follow, which in turn would create more an urgent tendency to solve the issue at hand. Throughout the plentiful nations around the globe, regardless if the country is developed or developing, each and every one of them have differing worldviews when it comes to how they accept LGBTQIA2+ people. However, it is far more intriguing to the fact that developed countries like Canada, Australia, and the U.S. have flaws when it comes to the process of accepting LGBTQ asylum applicants. Especially when in regards to the documentation requested for asylum seekers by the aforementioned nations. Focusing heavily on the U.S. and Canada, it is a fact that these two neighbours are socially accepting of individuals differing of sexual orientation and gender identity, but issues arise as to how such people are treated at the port of entry of the respective countries34. Further stressors are put onto newcomers when it comes to the line of questioning used by immigration officers. Such questions are created on the basis of having LGBT asylum-seekers prove the legitimacy of their sexual identity35. In conclusion, unlawful treatment of LGBT asylum-seekers unfortunately does not stop at lines of questioning which violate privacy laws. Additionally, the detention of asylum seekers have increased substantially; the number of asylum seekers held in immigration detention has increased from 45% in 2010 to 77% in 201436. LGBTQ people who have been detained experience mental health challenges. These centres create an increased amount of stress and anxiety. Transgender asylum 31 Dawson, Jasmine. “Looking Into: Australia’s Approach to LGBTIQ Asylum Seekers and Refugees.” Australian Institute of International Affairs. July 2, 2017 32 Ibid. 33 Ibid. 34 Ibid. 35 Ibid. 36 American Psychological Association. “LGBTQ Asylum Seekers.” News release, 2018. APA. Equal Rights Coalition: Global Summit on LGBTQIA+ Rights seekers are especially vulnerable in these situations, and many face additional violence based on their gender identity37. A common pattern follows all types member-states of the international community, whether they are developed or developing, is that many fail to acknowledge the extent to which actions have consequences. Especially when it comes to countries that are developed and have a habitable environment for displaced LGBTQ people who simply look for a safe-haven. Not only does a flawed immigration process at port of entries play a role in discomforting asylum-seekers, but the inhumane handling of refugees causes prolonged mental health issues. Issues that asylum-seekers should not withhold on top of societal pressures and stigma they face on a daily basis. This is an issue that not only concerns individuals with differing sexual orientation and gender identity, but should also concern the general population.

Questions to Consider:

1. How do we ensure that LGBTQ+ asylum seekers are not subject to anti-LGBTQ+ violence in detention centers? 2. How do we account for inconsistencies in how the LGBTQ+ community is viewed from one country to another? Is it possible for international legislation to be passed despite these discrepancies? 3. Since many countries continue to persecute LGBTQIA2+ peoples, how can members of this committee approach this issue? 4. When in regards to countries who impose the death penalty, what steps can the international community take to reduce such harsh treatment toward LGBTQIA2+ people? 5. How can the committee create a holistic solution to make sure that the majority of the international community follows it? 6. Should the committee create a standardized application process for LGBTQIA2+ asylum seekers? 7. How can the countries of the UN provide incentives to nations who are against accepting LGBTQIA2+ asylum seekers? 8. How can developed countries work toward easing the amount of scrutiny asylum seekers face with strict timelines for entry applications and documentation requests that violate basic human privacy? 9. Through what resources and solutions can the international community restrict countries from sending an influx of asylum seekers to other neighbouring countries, where such people are criminalized?

37 American Psychological Association. “LGBTQ Asylum Seekers.” News release, 2018. APA..

Equal Rights Coalition: Global Summit on LGBTQIA+ Rights Topic II: LGBTQIA2+ Youth and Homelessness

LGBTQIA2+ peoples, particularly queer youth, are grossly overrepresented in homeless demographics across global urban areas. Queer youth in the since being defined as being any young person at university age or younger who identifies with a minority sexuality or gender identity. According to a study done in California by Pediatrics found that youth that identify as LGBTQ make up around

30% of youth in unstable housing and foster care38. This is compared to the statistic of 11% of youth overall nationally in the United States that identify as LGBTQ from the same study. This means there is a significant increase in likelihood of being homeless or in an unsecure living situation, that being a non- permanent and potentially physically or emotionally unsafe living situation, if a youth is queer 39.

While the above statistic only applies to the United States, and even more specifically to California, homelessness amongst LGBTQIA2+ youth is an epidemic of international concern. While statistics may be harder to find depending on the country in question, it is quite clear that urban centres across the world, particularly ones where homelessness is already a concern, high LGBTQ dispossession is to be expected. As evidence of its cross-national nature, countless organizations have developed internationally to account for homeless queer youth. For example, the Casa 1 Youth Shelter in Sao Paulo, Brazil, which opened in 2018, has provided shelter and helped countless numbers of LGBTQ homeless youth find more secure housing, both temporarily and permanently, and employment during a disturbing time of increasing violence against gay, transgender and queer Brazilians on the street 40. Similar shelters are found internationally, such as the Pride Shelter Trust in Cape Town, South Africa, Le Refuge in Montpellier, France and Open Doors in Brisbane, Australia. All these shelters have recognized the significance of providing a queer-friendly space for shelters that may address the safety concerns of underhoused queer peoples that regular shelters may be unable to provide. They offer temporary housing, support to find permanent housing and employment, some even offer mental and physical health services. Most of the time these shelters run as non-profits and alongside local city governments. They are also often all financed by public and donor money. But despite this, there is still a lack of national government initiative on underhousing for queer peoples across the globe. It is commonly acknowledged across various news and entertainment media that a majority of homeless queer youth are put into their predicament due to having cut-ties with their families and 38 Baams, L., Wilson, B. D. M., & Russell, S. T. (2019). LGBTQ Youth in Unstable Housing and Foster Care. Pediatrics, 143(3), 1–9. https://doi-org.proxy3.library.mcgill.ca/10.1542/peds.2017-4211 39 Ibid. 40 Langlois, J. (2018, February 11). In Brazil, where violent deaths of LGBTQ people are on the rise, a shelter opens for youth. The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from https://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-brazil-gay-youth-2018-story.html

Equal Rights Coalition: Global Summit on LGBTQIA+ Rights caretakers in response to homophobia. But the need for these queer-specific shelters is revealing of the current conditions in our world, where queer youth are highly at-risk. But why is it that homeless queer youths are not getting adequate support from regular youth shelters? This reality is indicative of systemic discrimination and inequity that fails to account for the vulnerabilities of and prejudice against youth of minority sexual orientations and gender identities. This committee will look into factors that relate to the root cause of this problem, such as the inaccessibility of standard support services from police officers to standard emergency shelters, as well as the need of public safe spaces for queer people. The lack of accessibility to other life services such as standard health care most also be taken into account as a propagating factor into queer homelessness. As well, it must be acknowledged how intersectionality comes into play. Transgender youth, queer youth of minority racial and ethnic backgrounds, queer youth of colour, queer people of low socio-economic class and indigenous queer youth stand a higher likelihood of insecure housing status. The member states are tasked with looking into the standards for programmes and initiatives that account for all these concerns in regards to LGBTQIA2+ homelessness. While the international community has begun to take more and more strides in support of queer rights, many queer issues, particularly ones faced by particularly marginalized LGBTQ peoples, still need to be addressed. Homelessness is often not associated with being an issue for queer peoples. And yet, as was shown above, that is clearly not the case. This community will account for queer youth homelessness by addressing and implementing solutions for patterns of queer victimization, how and why certain public goods and services may become inaccessible to queer peoples, and how intersectionality, race, gender, and ethnicity come into play.

Inaccessibility of homeless shelters and police services

In another study conducted by Public Integrity, it was determined that queer youth make up

around 20-40% of homeless youth 41. Of course, this is an estimation based on statistics from only certain countries like the United States and Australia where there has been previous studies and statistics on the matter. Regardless, these results are highly suggestive of a larger and world-wide reality faced by LGBTQIA2+ peoples. Being a marginalized group that is at-risk, many dispossessed queer youth are the victims of crime, or have to turn to crime as a means of survival. Realities of hate crimes, such as the growing rates of murdered transgender women of colour, and of being forced into illegal work, such as unsafe sex work, are very real42. As such, there are frequent interactions between police officers 41 McCandless, S. (2018). LGBT Homeless Youth and Policing. Public Integrity, 20(6), 558–570. https://doi-org.proxy3. library.mcgill.ca/10.1080/10999922.2017.1402738 42 Jenkins, A. (2015). Transgender Americans and public policy. In W. Swan (Ed.), Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender civil rights: A public policy agenda for uniting a divided America (pp. 173–177). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. doi:10.1201/b17485-16

Equal Rights Coalition: Global Summit on LGBTQIA+ Rights and homeless queer youth. Unfortunately, there are also many and frequent accounts of discrimination youth faced within the justice system and from law enforcement bodies 43. Some examples include being falsely perceived as sexually predatory based off of sexual orientation or gender identity, and receiving unwanted sexual advances and harassment while in custody or while reporting a crime due to the same reasoning 44. As well, police officers in most global jurisdiction never receive training on how to positively interact with LGBTQ peoples, regardless of whether they are perpetrators or victims of crime, regardless of age, and regardless of housing status 45. Examples include mistreating queer sex workers as criminals rather than as potential victims of sexual exploitation. In particular, transgender victims of crimes often report being harassed by police officers, and not only being misgendered, that is being repeatedly and possibly aggressively referred to by the wrong gender pronoun or name, but are also made to feel utterly powerless 46. The international standard for police training should include training to consider contextual factors, such as the root causes of homelessness for queer youth. Police officers internationally can better service LGBTQ displaced youth when they are consciously acknowledging the systemic discrimination and likely abusive family backgrounds that they face and can begin to more accurately address the concerns of queer victims of crime and prejudice 47. Police services are one of many institutions that are failing to make the LGBTQ community feel included and protected, amongst other marginalized groups. Within queer populations the feeling of being profiled as abnormal and possibly criminal is commonplace, whether it be on grounds of race and ethnicity, sexuality, gender, body, dress, or homelessness 48. Specifically from a queer perspective, public spaces become heteronormative spaces, that being spaces that judge aesthetics and behaviour for non-straight and non-cisgender characteristics and discriminate against them 49. Many homeless queer youths have picked up notions, either advertently or sub-consciously, that looking or seeming “gay” will attract more unwanted attention, including police attention 50. Often for those that express themselves as more male, it is an issue of not seeming effeminate or girly in the way they comport themselves, and for those that express as more female it is the inverse with masculinity. While profiling certainly plays in negative queer youth-police relations, profiling itself is not specific to police interactions and occurs in almost all public spaces. It is because of this that profiling, discrimination and the use of stereotypes are often anticipated by queer peoples. And it is likely due to this anticipation of stigma that many institutions fail to gain the trust of homeless queer peoples. This 43 McCandless, S. (2018). LGBT Homeless Youth and Policing. Public Integrity, 20(6), 558–570. https://doi-org.proxy3. library.mcgill.ca/10.1080/10999922.2017.1402738 44 Ibid. 45 Ibid. 46 Jenkins, A. (2015). Transgender Americans and public policy. In W. Swan (Ed.), Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender civil rights: A public policy agenda for uniting a divided America (pp. 173–177). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. doi:10.1201/b17485-16 47 Dwyer, A. (2015). Teaching young queers a lesson: How police teach lessons about non-heteronormativity in public spaces. Sexuality and Culture, 19(3), 493–512. doi:10.1007/s12119-015-9273-6. 48 Ibid. Page 502. 49 Ibid. Page 505 50 Ibid. Page 505

Equal Rights Coalition: Global Summit on LGBTQIA+ Rights case of mistrust can still sadly be the case sometimes for certain queer individuals even if shelters and

services are able to create safe LGBTQ spaces 51. A homeless transgender man in Montreal explained his relationship with homeless shelters in a study in Children and Youth Services Review 100 “Once, I wanted to go to a shelter, but at that time, the shelter did not have a room for trans youth. I told myself that if I went there, I would experience transphobia, because, at the time, I already had a beard but no bottom surgery (a surgery to reconstruct the female genitalia into that of a male or vice versa). So, that time, I slept outside, I spent a part of the night in a fast food restaurant” 52. The above quote outlines two distinct reasons why shelters become inaccessible to many LGBTQ homeless peoples. Firstly the aforementioned profiling and bias are frequent occurrences for queer peoples, and as such they are predicted to occur within homeless shelters, making these shelters unwelcoming and potentially life-threatening spaces for displaced queer peoples. Secondly, regardless of anticipation around profiling and prejudice being accurate or not, there is still a question of space. Shelters and other similar institutions are always limited by a maximum number of individuals they can hold at any given time. So if the demand is high these resources are naturally limited. This doesn’t

account for some of the structural and physical space needs of LGBTQ peoples within shelters 53. Negative anticipation by queer youth towards shelters and youth homes is often rooted from past experiences of discrimination in relation to them or other public or charity institutions. This can stem from past-prejudice coming from staff, other service-providers, or from other service-recipients. In many cases, these interactions stem from fear of queer peoples. One transgender woman in Montreal explained “There was one who was making fun of my femininity. It’s like he was trying to intimidate me, but I took it as a joke. I didn’t take it seriously. And sometimes he would hit me.” 54 In many other cases there is blatant sexual abuse where the assailant unjustly assumes their victim desires sexual advances due to their sexual orientation or gender 55. In other cases, anticipation is not of obvious outward aggression but of problematic ignorance, apathy and misunderstanding of queer identities and issues. One two spirit individual explained “I’m too afraid to talk about (being two-spirit). They don’t believe in people that are two-spirit… staff are not accepting or don’t know anything about it at most

places.” 56. 51 Meyer, I. H. (2015). Resilience in the study of minority stress and health of sexual and gender minorities. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Minorities, 2(3), 209. https://doi-org.proxy3.library.mcgill.ca/10.1037/sgd0000132 52 Côté, P.-B., & Blais, M. (2019). Between resignation, resistance and recognition: A qualitative analysis of LGBTQ+ youth profiles of homelessness agencies utilization. L’Université du Québec à Montréal. Children & Youth Services Review, 100, Page 441. https://doi-org.proxy3.library.mcgill.ca/10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.03.024. 53 Bardwell, G. (2019). The impact of risk environments on LGBTQ2S adults experiencing homelessness in a midsized Canadian city. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services, 31(1), 53–64. https://doi-org.proxy3.library.mcgill.ca/10.1080/10538720.2 019.1548327 54 Côté, P.-B., & Blais, M. (2019). Between resignation, resistance and recognition: A qualitative analysis of LGBTQ+ youth profiles of homelessness agencies utilization. L’Université du Québec à Montréal. Children & Youth Services Review, 100, Page 440. https://doi-org.proxy3.library.mcgill.ca/10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.03.024. 55 Bardwell, G. (2019). The impact of risk environments on LGBTQ2S adults experiencing homelessness in a midsized Canadian city. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services, 31(1), 53–64. https://doi-org.proxy3.library.mcgill.ca/10.1080/10538720.2 019.1548327 56 Ibid.

Equal Rights Coalition: Global Summit on LGBTQIA+ Rights In terms of space, there are many shelter institutions that lack the physical or structural space to accommodate queer peoples 57. Structural space refers to the policies and structures in place that protect queer peoples, such as a policy that respects requested names and gender pronouns. It can also include disciplining staff and residents who are shown to be discriminatory, and hiring or training staff to oversee and facilitate healthy interaction with queer and marginalized peoples. Physical space accommodation may not be as evidently needed at first glance, but in reality it is incredibly significant to queer experiences in youth shelters. Sharing spaces with non-queers can become threatening to queer peoples if they are no security or protections in place in case of violent discrimination. While having staff acceptance of queer identity has been shown to make for a more positive experience 58, the biggest threats to security often come from other residents sharing the space.

Queer men often report being intimidated and threatened from using the communal washrooms 59. The most vulnerable peoples to physical environments are transgender peoples. From having gendered communal washrooms, floors and dorms, to not having a showering space where trans people are unable to have bodily privacy and potentially outed as trans, the reality of most shelters involves transgender people having to navigate a highly gendered and potentially highly dangerous space 60. Addressing discrimination, as well as anticipation of discrimination, by homeless LGBTQ youth when receiving services can take many forms. This can include greater advertisement of safe and queer friendly-services and public spaces. It might even involve addressing and combatting public prejudice and ignorance around queerness as whole. In terms of readapting spaces and services to protect and provide for LGBTQIA peoples, there can be many debates around whether to implement new service institutions or branches of institutions specific to servicing queer peoples or readapting old ones so they better accommodate the integration of queer peoples. Regardless it is clear that there needs to be a change in how we facilitate services and shelters internationally in regards to aiding underhoused LGBTQIA+2 peoples.

Vulnerability of the homeless queer populations

It is no secret that LGBTQ peoples across the world are commonly targeted. LGBTQ peoples are getting more and more international attention, and increasingly more legislation is being passed

57 Bardwell, G. (2019). The impact of risk environments on LGBTQ2S adults experiencing homelessness in a midsized Canadian city. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services, 31(1), 53–64. https://doi-org.proxy3.library.mcgill.ca/10.1080/10538720.2 019.1548327. 58 Côté, P.-B., & Blais, M. (2019). Between resignation, resistance and recognition: A qualitative analysis of LGBTQ+ youth profiles of homelessness agencies utilization. L’Université du Québec à Montréal. Children & Youth Services Review, 100, Page 441. https://doi-org.proxy3.library.mcgill.ca/10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.03.024. 59 Bardwell, G. (2019). The impact of risk environments on LGBTQ2S adults experiencing homelessness in a midsized Canadian city. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services, 31(1), 53–64. https://doi-org.proxy3.library.mcgill.ca/10.1080/10538720.2 019.1548327 60 Ibid.

Equal Rights Coalition: Global Summit on LGBTQIA+ Rights around creating equity in regards to gender identity and sexual orientation. LGBTQ+ peoples are a vulnerable group, particularly in regards to stigma. Stigma against queer and gender minority peoples has an intricate relationship with homelessness. Stigma increases the likelihood of discrimination against a particular group, and as was discussed earlier, anticipation or expectation of discrimination prevents many marginalized homeless peoples from seeking public or institutional support. But not only are queer peoples overrepresented in statistics for homelessness, foster care and unstable housing, but they are also discriminated within the housing market, being shown fewer apartments, and approximately 73%

of LGBTQ Americans fear housing discrimination 61. Queer youth in unstable housing are also more likely to report being targeted, having poorer mental health, having fights in school, dropping out of school altogether, and substance abuse 6263.This is both in comparison to queer youth with stable housing and

straight and cisgender youth in unstable housing64 and in the case of substance abuse, to heterosexual youth 65. Problems with schooling, mental health and substance abuse are exacerbated by unstable housing. And in turn homelessness exacerbates all of the aforementioned issues. But once you consider how queer identities come into play, all of these issues become even more propagated and interrelated. Homelessness and queer identity both can make an individual more susceptible to bullying, self-doubt, lack of self-confidence, mistrust in others and other hindrances on the well-being and functionality of an individual. It becomes more and more difficult for queer people to escape homelessness when they also must deal with stigma, mental health, addiction, and incomplete schooling. Past experiences with stigma and discrimination often negatively affect an individual’s sense of security and overall well-being 66.And just how this can inhibit queer people’s from accessing police services and shelters, it also inhibits them from accessing physical/mental health services, support for substance abuse, and support services for secondary and post-secondary education67 . A specific account of the vulnerability of homeless queer peoples to mental health problems must be made. Stress from navigating heteronormative environments, stigma, bullying, harassment and unwanted attention often leads to queer youth facing significant mental health challenges, including

61 Graves, L. (2018, May 09). Issue at a Glance: LGBTQ Housing Discrimination. Retrieved from https://victoryinstitute. org/lgbtq-housing-discrimination/ 62 Baams, L., Wilson, B. D. M., & Russell, S. T. (2019). LGBTQ Youth in Unstable Housing and Foster Care. Pediatrics, 143(3), 1–9. https://doi-org.proxy3.library.mcgill.ca/10.1542/peds.2017-4211 63 Rosario, M., Schrimshaw, E. W., & Hunter, J.(2012). Risk factors for homelessness among lesbian, gay, and bisexual youths: A developmental milestone approach. Children and Youth Services Review, 34(1), 186–193. https://doi-org.proxy3.library. mcgill.ca/10.1016/j.childyouth.2011.09.016

64 Baams, L., Wilson, B. D. M., & Russell, S. T. (2019). LGBTQ Youth in Unstable Housing and Foster Care. Pediatrics, 143(3), 1–9. https://doi-org.proxy3.library.mcgill.ca/10.1542/peds.2017-4211 65 Rosario, M., Schrimshaw, E. W., & Hunter, J.(2012). Risk factors for homelessness among lesbian, gay, and bisexual youths: A developmental milestone approach. Children and Youth Services Review, 34(1), 186–193. https://doi-org.proxy3.library. mcgill.ca/10.1016/j.childyouth.2011.09.016 66 Meyer, I. H. (2015). Resilience in the study of minority stress and health of sexual and gender minorities. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Minorities, 2(3), 209. https://doi-org.proxy3.library.mcgill.ca/10.1037/sgd0000132 67 Ibid.

Equal Rights Coalition: Global Summit on LGBTQIA+ Rights anxiety, depression, self-harm and addiction68. Psychological stress and emotional strain from former domestic or parental abuse can be a main cause for many homeless queer youth dropping out of secondary schooling, with almost 40% of LGBTQ+ homeless youth failing to complete high school in North America 69. Mental health challenges also make queer homeless youth more susceptible to sexual risk activities, including unprotected sex but also entering temporary sexual living situations with strangers 7071. In particular however, suicide rates amongst queer peoples is already considered a major health concern. It has even been estimated that as many as 40% of transgender peoples have attempted suicide at some point in their life 72. However, homeless LGBTQ peoples are more vulnerable to suicidality, and are estimated to be 9-20% more likely than non-homeless LGBTQ peoples to attempt suicide, depending on the metropolitan area 73. It is clear that LGBTQIA2+ peoples who are also homeless are highly vulnerable to numerous problematic blocks to an individual’s personal fulfillment, well-being and sense of safety. This includes bullying, substance abuse, inability to complete secondary school, mental health challenges and suicide, all of which largely stem from homophobic and transphobic stigma, and discriminatory social policies and environments. The high rates of depression and suicide amongst queer peoples in many cases can even be considered a gross public health concern 74. The international community may want to account for ways in which address queer access to and support within mental health services, school counselling, and addiction support services. Similarly, it may be in the best interest of member states to consider how to address issues of harassment, laws and policies that allow for discriminatory housing, domestic violence and stigma overall against queer peoples as a way of combatting the vulnerability of the LGBTQ community.

Intersectionality and LGBTQ homelessness

It is crucial to acknowledge how all of the aforementioned issues can be further propagated by factors that do not necessarily relate to sexual orientation and homelessness. Intersectionality defines 68 Bidell, M. P. (2014). Is there an emotional cost of completing high school? Ecological factors and psychologi- cal distress among LGBT homeless youth. Journal of Homosexuality, 61(3), 366–381. https://doi-org.proxy3.library.mcgill. ca/10.1080/00918369.2013.842426 69 Ibid. 70 Rice, E., Barman‐Adhikari, A., Rhoades, H., Winetrobe, H., Fulginiti, A., Astor, R., … Kordic, T. (2013). Homelessness experiences, sexual orientation, and sexual risk taking among high school students in Los Angeles. Journal of Adolescent Health, 52(6), 773–778. https://doi-org.proxy3.library.mcgill.ca/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2012.11.011 71 McCann, E., & Brown, M. (2019). Homelessness among youth who identify as LGBTQ+: A systematic review. Journal of Clinical Nursing (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.), 28(11/12), 2061–2072. https://doi-org.proxy3.library.mcgill.ca/10.1111/jocn.14818 72 James SE, Herman JL, Rankin S, Keisling M, Mottet L, Anafi M (2016) The report of the 2015 US transgender survey. National Center for Transgender Equality, Washington, DC. Google Scholar 73 Rhoades, H., Rusow, J.A., Bond, D. et al. (2018) Homelessness, Mental Health and Suicidality Among LGBTQ Youth Accessing Crisis Services. Child psychiatry and human devleopment. 49: 643. https://doi-org.proxy3.library.mcgill.ca/10.1007/ s10578-018-0780-1 74 Ibid.

Equal Rights Coalition: Global Summit on LGBTQIA+ Rights the ways in which marginalized identities may intersect, such as via race and sexual orientation. Aspects such as race, ethnicity, disability, language skills, and gender all significantly contribute to the daily life of homeless queer peoples. In particular, it has been noted how queer peoples of racial minority groups and indigenous peoples are particularly targeted and vulnerable. Unfortunately racism and prejudice are still prevalent forces both within and outside of the LGBTQ community 75. Issues such as homelessness, inaccessibility of shelters, and mistrust of police officers can all become heightened and escalated under systemic racism 76. Many would argue that issues around race, ethnicity and indigeneity are queer issues, and minority queer peoples are amongst the most marginalized within the LGBTQ community. Racial and ethnic queer minorities that are also homeless are statistically and routinely victims of violence and human trafficking 77. These are serious and gross concerns for any government or state that stands in support of queer and human rights. As well, it might have been noted that throughout this topic, cases of prejudice and exclusion of transgender peoples were outlined. Transgender peoples are not only commonly alienated within the public but also the LGBTQ community itself. They often carry specific concerns not needed by others within the queer community, such as the need for ungendered spaces and greater bodily privacy. Having sleeping quarters and washrooms set to a gendered binary of male-female can be threatening to some trans people, especially if their bunkmates or neighbours are aggressive against their gender identity. Having individual and private spaces can be a significant safety concern for certain trans people. It should also be acknowledged that there is also a disproportionately high percentage of homeless transgender peoples 78. In order to fully combat homelessness amongst the queer population as a whole, member states might be interested in addressing the aspects of homelessness as it is experienced by racial and ethnic minorities and transgender peoples within the LGBTQ community. This includes looking at employment equity in all forms; in regards to race, gender, religion, sexual orientation etc. It also involves looking at the lack of legislation around the discrimination of marginalized peoples.

75 Jenkins, A. (2015). Transgender Americans and public policy. In W. Swan (Ed.), Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender civil rights: A public policy agenda for uniting a divided America (pp. 173–177). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. doi:10.1201/b17485-16. [Crossref], , [Google Scholar] 76 Johnson, R. G., Rivera, M. A., & Lopez, N. (2018). A Public Ethics Approach Focused on the Lives of Diverse LGBTQ Homeless Youth. Public Integrity, 20(6), 611–624. https://doi-org.proxy3.library.mcgill.ca/10.1080/10999922.2017.1342217 77 Greeson, Johanna K P, Daniel Treglia, Debra Schilling Wolfe, and Sarah Wasch. 2019. “Prevalence and Correlates of Sex Trafficking among Homeless and Runaway Youths Presenting for Shelter Services.” Social Work Research 43 (2): 91–100. doi:10.1093/swr/svz001. 78 Sellers, M. D. (2018). Absent Inclusion Polices: Problems Facing Homeless Transgender Youth. Public Integrity, 20(6), 625–639. https://doi-org.proxy3.library.mcgill.ca/10.1080/10999922.2018.1446629

Equal Rights Coalition: Global Summit on LGBTQIA+ Rights Questions to Consider:

1. The root causes of queer homelessness often relate to parental/familial rejection. What steps can states take to address this? Are there ways governments are able to prevent this incidents from occurring? 2. The mistrust of police officers by queer youth is high, which is why many do not report being the victims of crime. What would be the greatest way for governments to remedy this? How should greater police and other service sector trainings around interacting with LGBTQ peoples be implemented? What efforts should be made to have queer youth less likely to interact with the criminal justice system as whole? 3. Should more LGBTQ specific shelters be established, or should current shelters be made to encourage and facilitate greater integration? 4. What policies should be established so that shelters are structurally and physically queer friendly? 5. How does the vulnerability of LGBTQ peoples to things such as depression, suicidal ideation, substance abuse and dropping out affect their susceptibility to homelessness? How does homelessness might exacerbate these aforementioned issues? 6. How can the international community address stigmatization against LGBTQ peoples? 7. What are the specific concerns of indigenous and racialized homeless queer peoples and how do they differ from their racial majority counterparts? 8. What are the structural and spatial needs of transgender homeless peoples? What are the differences between transphobic stigma and homophobic stigma?

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Equal Rights Coalition: Global Summit on LGBTQIA+ Rights Important definitions, taken from the University of California Davis LGBTQIA

Resource Center Glossary79 LGBTQ+: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer. Lesbian: A woman whose primary sexual and affectional orientation is toward people of the same gender.

Gay: A sexual and affectional orientation toward people of the same gender. Bisexual: A person whose primary sexual and affectional orientation is toward people of the same and other genders, or towards people regardless of their gender.

Transgender: Adjective used most often as an umbrella term, and frequently abbreviated to “trans.” This adjective describes a wide range of identities and experiences of people whose gender identity and/or expression differs from conventional expectations based on their assigned sex at birth. A transgender man is a man who was assigned female at birth. A transgender woman is a woman who was assigned male at birth.

Queer: An adjective used as an umbrella term to describe sexual and gender minorities. This term was once used negatively against those who had same-sex relations but during the 1980s, the LGBT+ community began to reclaim the word.

Cisgender: A gender identity, or performance in a gender role, that society deems to match the person’s assigned sex at birth.

LGBTQIA2+: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, intersex, asexual and two-spirit. Intersex: Adjective used to describe the experience of naturally (that is, without any medical intervention) developing primary or secondary sex characteristics that do not fit neatly into society’s definitions of male or female.

Asexual: A sexual orientation generally characterized by not feeling sexual attraction or a desire for partnered sexuality.

Two-spirit: An adjective used widely by Indigenous communities to describe someone who possesses both masculine and feminine spirits80.

GSM: Gender and sexual minorities. Gender: A social construct used to classify a person as a man, woman, or some other identity. Fundamentally different from the sex one is assigned at birth.

Gender Identity: A sense of one’s self as trans, genderqueer, gender non conforming, woman, man, or some other identity, which may or may not correspond with the sex and gender one is assigned at birth.

79 “LGBTQIA Resource Center Glossary | LGBTQIA Resource Center”. 2019. Lgbtqia.Ucdavis.Edu. https://lgbtqia.ucdavis. edu/educated/glossary. 80 Rainbow Health Ontario. 2016. “Two-Spirit and LGBTQ Indigenous Health”. Evidence Brief: Inform your practice be- cause LGBTQ health matters.

Equal Rights Coalition: Global Summit on LGBTQIA+ Rights