Pushing the Boundaries: African LGBTQ+ Migrants Navigating Dislocation and Disparities in Canada.

Abstract

There is an urgency to advocate for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and other sexual and gender minority (LGBTQ+) racialized migrants and Canadian policy reform due to the rise in human rights violations globally for LGBTQ+ community members as they fight for constitutional change. Canada projects itself as a world leader in the protection of LGBTQ+ rights and is promoted as an ideal destination for those fleeing persecution. Contrary to this image, Canada has received harsh public criticism for its failure to live up to the expectations of a benevolent refugee-receiving country. The arrival of African LGBTQ+ migrants creates a lens for us to examine these cracks in our Canadian system and the resulting health disparities experienced by this group.