A lesbian asylum seeker in the U.K. faces deportation to Uganda

[Merlin]

Sign the petition now to SAVE her Life. 

http://www.allout.org/brenda

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My understanding is that she was unable to provide sufficient evidence that she is a lesbian.

I can see that anyone would say anything if they were desperate to stay in a country, but possibly lying to the Immigration Service will not get you very far.

There are many specialist immigration legal services and with their help, if her case was sound, she would have been looked at fairly.  That's what the Human Rights legislation is there for.

[thunter34]

What qualfies as sufficient evidence of lesbianism?  A mullet?  Pictures of her cats?  An MP3 player loaded with Melissa Etheridge and kd lang songs?  What?

In all seriousness, "proof of lesbianism" makes me think of Bent...where they had to "prove" they weren't homosexuals.

How does one go about proving lesbianism?

[Merlin]

It doesn't kill anyone to sign the petition, but it may kill her if you don't.   

Meanwhile, whilst they sit and ponder for evidence if she is indeed gay, a lesbian, all these does not matter in Uganda if the corrupt powers that be PERCEIVE you to be one. You may very well end up like David Kato, the murdered gay activist there.   

[Joe K]

It doesn't kill anyone to sign the petition, but it may kill her if you don't.   

Meanwhile, whilst they sit and ponder for evidence if she is indeed gay, a lesbian, all these does not matter in Uganda if the corrupt powers that be PERCEIVE you to be one. You may very well end up like David Kato, the murdered gay activist there.   

Petition signed and the very fact that she is seeking asylum, for being a lesbian (whether true or not) has marked her as such in the public eye.  I cannot imagine how she could ever return to Uganda, without the label of being gay and all that that suggests.  Actually, she is probably already marked, by many in Uganda, who cannot wait to confront her or worse.

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It will interesting to see how this plays out.

There is a high level of proof that potential asylum seekers have to show in order to stay in the UK.

She will have to have a well founded fear for her safety.  If she can prove she is a lesbian, I can't see how they can remove her.  Her legal representatives would have a very straightforward case.

If she doesn't prove that she is a lesbian, or is shown to have said it just to win her case, it will be interesting to hear whether it will convince them that she is indeed 'marked' and be allowed to stay.  

Especially as there have been cases of people saying they're just just to stay in the country before.  I would be really surprised if they set a precedent that by saying you are Gay or Lesbian could affect your future safety in your home country.  It seems to me a bit nonsensical.



edited to add, she seems to have been given more time to argue her case today.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12311319

Whatever the truth of this story, it must be very difficult for her dealing with this.