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Intimate Migrations FINAL PROJECT REPORT December 2016 FRANCESCA STELLA, ANNA GAWLEWICZ, MOYA FLYNN Intimate Migrations CONTENTS Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Migrants in Scotland Executive summary 4 1 Background to the study 6 2 Methodology and participants’ demographic profi le 8 3 Migration to Scotland 12 3.1 Factors facilitating migration 12 3.2 Reasons for migrating 12 4 Migrant experiences in Scotland 16 A report by Francesca Stella, Anna Gawlewicz and Moya Flynn, December 2016 4.1 Experiences of employment and education 16 4.1.1 Experiences of work in Scotland 16 Intimate Migrations is a project about the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual 4.1.2 Experiences of education in Scotland 17 and transgender migrants from Central Eastern Europe (CEE) and the Former Soviet 4.2 Security and wellbeing 19 Union (FSU) in Scotland. It is funded by the Economic Social Research Council and 4.2.1 Material and emotional security 19 hosted by the University of Glasgow. For more information about the Intimate Migrations project see www.intimatemigrations.net 4.2.2 Wellbeing and LGBT equality 21 4.2.3 Challenges and insecurities 23 The report recommendations and an additional section of the report will be available as separate documents on 4.2.4 Plans for the future and reasons for staying in Scotland 24 the project website in early 2017. The complete version of the report, inclusive of the recommendations and the 4.3. Prejudice and discrimination 26 additional section, will also be available on the project website in 2017. 4.3.1 Sexual orientation and gender identity 26 4.3.2 Ethnicity 28 5 Social networks, belonging and integration 30 5.1 Migration to Scotland and social networks 30 5.2 Migrants’ personal communities 31 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 5.2.1 Transnational social networks 31 First of all we would like to thank our research participants, who We would also like to thank the members of our Project Advisory generously gave their time to contribute to the project and shared Group for their guidance, support, enthusiasm and ideas over the 5.2.2 Social networks within Scotland 31 their stories with us. Many of the pictures included in the report duration of the project. We wish to acknowledge the input of many 5.3 Ethnicity and social networks 32 are taken from participants’ photo diaries, and credited to them other organisations and individuals who contributed ideas and throughout the report. insights to the project by meeting members of our research team, 5.3.1 Engagement with co-nationals and other migrants in Scotland 32 or by attending our fi rst and second consultation events (April and 5.3.2 Disengagement from co-nationals 34 We would like to thank Brandi Lee Lough Donnell from LGBT Youth December 2016). Scotland for her detailed comments on the methodology and 5.3.3 Engagement with long-settled population in Scotland 35 prejudice and discrimination sections of the report, and for her We would also like to acknowledge the more indirect input 5.4 Language, culture and social networks 38 input on equality legislation in Scotland. We would also like to of many people from GRAMNet, a network bringing together thank Tanveer Parnez from BEMIS for her comments on the researchers, practitioners and activists working on migration 5.5 Sexual orientation/gender identity and social networks 38 full draft report. www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/gramnet References 42 2 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Wellbeing and LGBT equality 3 SOCIAL NETWORKS, BELONGING AND ntimate Migrations is a research project funded by the Economic and Social Research • Participants’ experiences as LGBT persons in Scotland generally INTEGRATION Council. The project explores the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender compared favourably to what they had experienced in their country • Participants’ social networks included friends and family based in Imigrants who have moved to Scotland from Central Eastern Europe (CEE) and the Former of origin. Most perceived attitudes towards LGBT persons in Scotland Scotland as well as in their country of origin; many also included Soviet Union (FSU). Fieldwork was carried out in various locations across Scotland in two as more open and positive, and spoke about positive experiences at people based in other parts of the UK, or in third countries. stages (April 2015 – June 2016). Stage 1 involved interviews with LGBT migrants about their work, in educational institutions and in public services, as well as in • Creating new social networks in Scotland was a common challenge experiences of migration and resettlement, and also relational mapping (sociograms) to chart everyday social interactions. for participants, who often felt socially isolated when they fi rst arrived • Many participants spoke about the importance of having a legal in Scotland. Social networks were an important source of practical their social networks. Stage 2 involved photo diaries and follow-up interviews to explore and policy framework that recognises LGBT rights and equality in and emotional support, as well as providing participants with a sense participants’ sense of belonging and identity. The report is based on our key fi ndings, and Scotland, and about the sense that this was upheld. of belonging, identity and wellbeing. will be of interest to a range of stakeholders and service providers we have engaged with • Many participants felt that they could be more open about their • A shared national or linguistic background emerged as a signifi cant throughout the project. sexual orientation or gender identity in Scotland compared to factor in shaping participants’ social networks in Scotland. Often they their country of origin. Many felt they could be out as LGBT persons, included a large number of co-nationals as partners, close friends or and that disclosure of their sexual orientation or gender identity acquaintances. This was especially the case with Polish participants, was considered ordinary and unremarkable in Scotland. because of a presence of a sizable Polish community in Scotland. • LGBT affi rmative legislation and more positive attitudes towards Participants’ social networks also included local people, although LGBT persons contributed greatly to participants’ sense of wellbeing they featured less prominently, as well as migrants from other 1 MIGRATION TO SCOTLAND 2 MIGRANT EXPERIENCES IN SCOTLAND and security in Scotland, and was often a key factor in their decision countries. • Most of our participants were from EU countries, and their migration Employment and material security to remain in Scotland, and not to return to their country of origin. • Shared language and culture were important aspects of relations to Scotland was facilitated by free movement of labour within the EU. • The majority of our participants were in paid employment, and with co-nationals (many of which had started in their country of The majority of our participants had moved directly to Scotland from saw working in Scotland as a means to achieve greater material Prejudice and discrimination origin, prior to migration). Practical and emotional support from their country of origin. security than in their country of origin, where many had experienced • Despite overall positive experiences in Scotland, several participants co-nationals was often important in mitigating risk upon moving • Participants often spoke of several concurrent motivations to migrate. economic hardship. experienced prejudice or discrimination because of their sexual to Scotland. Several participants were also involved in community For the majority of our participants, employment opportunities and • Finding a job in Scotland was relatively easy. Whilst several migrants orientation or gender identity; these were perpetuated both by local initiatives (recreational or off ering support) involving co-nationals. related prospects of greater material security were key reasons for found similar or better jobs compared to the ones they had in their people1 and by other migrants. Some participants spoke about being better able to express migrating to Scotland, refl ecting wider migration trends from CEE country of origin, a high proportion of our participants worked • Despite overall positive and respectful interactions with local emotions in their language, and about language and culture as and FSU to the UK/Scotland. Many participants had moved with a in low-skilled, low-paid jobs, particularly in hospitality and in the people, some participants had experienced xenophobic prejudice or intimately linked to their identity. partner or other family members (including e.g. children, parents, service sector, often below their educational qualifi cations. For some discrimination in Scotland. • Some participants found socialising primarily with co-nationals siblings). Some of our younger participants had moved to Scotland participants entry level or low-skilled jobs were stepping stones • A minority had experienced intersectional discrimination, where restrictive, and actively branched out to meet local people. Some to pursue higher or further education. towards better jobs; however, for some these jobs were a long-term they were singled out both because of their sexual orientation/ of participants had experienced homophobia (or bi-/transphobia) • Sexual orientation and gender identity featured to varying degrees prospect or fi nal destination. As a result, they often experiencing gender identity and because of their ethnicity. at the hands of co-nationals, or perceived attitudes among in participants’ accounts of their reasons to migrate. None
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