Hiding in Plain Sight: A Qualitative Analysis of Survival Strategies for LGBT Forced Migrants

Background: Concealing one’s sexual orientation and/or gender identity can have serious psychological consequences for LGBT people (Bockting et al., 2013; Pachankis, 2007). However, studies have yet to explore the effects of concealing a stigma for LGBT individuals who have fled their countries of origin in search of protection in the United States and Canada. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of concealing a stigma for LGBT forced migrants and how this impacted their resettlement process.

Methods: We recruited 26 participants who obtained refugee status in the United States (n=16) or Canada (n=10) on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Participants originated from Eastern Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and Latin America and ranged in age from 21-49. Twenty identified as gay, two as lesbian, two as transmale, and two as transfemale. Ten identified as Black, 10 as White, three as Hispanic/Latino, two as Asian, and one as multi-racial. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants from community/social service organizations. To participate, individuals had to be at least 18 years old and had to have official refugee/asylee status for at least one month. A 75-120 minute life history interview explored victimization experiences, resettlement processes, and self-reported mental health problems. We also asked about the strategies that participants used in their countries of origin to conceal their identities. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. We analyzed the data using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). After independently coding each interview, we convened to review codes and develop final themes. Meetings were used to: process the meaning of each theme, discuss disagreements until reaching consensus, and explore how themes might be tied together to form a cohesive story. To enhance rigor, we identified negative cases, engaged in member checking, and maintained an audit trail.

 Results: Participants reported feeling compelled to hide their identities from an early age and in most social and interpersonal contexts. Furthermore, they expressed that their efforts to remain closeted related to depression, hypervigilance, and feelings of helplessness. While some participants felt free to come out once they arrived in the host country, others felt the need to continue concealing their identities in certain contexts. Analysis revealed the following themes: shame, isolation, and secrecy; contending with “mental barriers”; hiding to survive; and grappling with concealment/disclosure decisions.

Conclusions: To avoid victimization in their countries of origin, participants concealed their LGBT identities to survive, leaving them with mental health problems that continued after their arrival in the host country. While some felt free to express themselves once they arrived in the host country, others believed they had to conceal their identities to sustain their relationships with family and co-ethnic others. Findings suggest that social workers can support the resettlement of LGBT forced migrants by helping them deal with the mental health effects of concealing a stigma in their countries of origin. Providers must also support LGBT forced migrants’ coming out decisions and help them to develop an identity that feels authentic for them.