2025/06/21 by Tri, Thomas
#Ethnic Minority #Immigrant #Newcomer #Racialized #Visible Minority
paper · doi:10.11575/prism/49506
As of currently, there are 12 jurisdictions where same-sex intimacy is punishable by death and in 66 countries same-sex, consensual sexual activity is criminalized (Human Dignity Trust, 2023). Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) newcomers escape violence and persecution from their home countries to seek safety abroad. However, notions of safety are not guaranteed as LGBTQ+ newcomers continue to face immense structural barriers upon arrival. This study sought to understand how practitioners can co-create safer spaces for LGBTQ+ newcomers. Using a community-based framework, this study collaborated with the Centre for Newcomers, a local non-profit that works closely with LGBTQ+ newcomers to recruit participants. Drawing from critical geography, this study not only sought to understand the effect of safety but the power dynamics of space and how it interweaves into participants’ experiences. Participatory community mapping as well as semi-structured interviews explored participants’ experiences of safety and unsafety across the migration trajectory. A thematic analysis was conducted, and four major themes emerged: experiences of violence, safety, unsafety, and navigating (un)safety. This study reveals the complex strategies and perceptions that LGBTQ+ newcomers encompass to not only survive but to reach self-actualization. By understanding experiences of safety, practitioners and service providers can better understand appropriate practices and programs that can support the needs of LGBTQ+ newcomers.