“We Do Not Matter”: Transgender Migrants/Refugees in the Dutch Asylum System

Abstract

Although the Netherlands is renowned for its forerunner position in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender/transsexual, and intersex (LGBTI) rights, this study urges one to question whether it can still live up to that image. Reports, news items, and signals from non-governmental organizations, such as Transgender Network Netherlands in the field show that especially transgender migrants/refugees regularly face abuse and discrimination. Yet, academic research underlying such findings is scarce. Moreover, a highly gendered discourse on the current migration/refugee crisis makes transgender migrants/refugees even more invisible. This article presents an interpretive approach to the institutional and disciplinary realities they become part of. The approach comes from (1) a literature review, surveying both scholarly publications and other sources; (2) patchwork or instant ethnography, thickening the findings from the literature; (3) and foremostly a theoretical interpretation of the precarious situation in which many transgender migrants/refugees find themselves. We draw upon synthesizing concepts such as "total institution" (Goffman 1961; Henry 1963), "human waste" (Bauman 2004), and "armed love" (Ticktin 2011) to constitute our theoretical framework, through which we show that transgender migrants/refugees are met with compassion and pity, rather than equal rights and full citizenship. This bitter logic leads us to the conclusion that within the Dutch asylum system, transgender migrants/refugees are rendered politically irrelevant, which eventually reflects the main priority of the Dutch authorities (and society at large) to control the boundaries of the nation-state, rather than to address the needs and rights of those people who seek, on legitimate grounds, a passport to a better, that is, a full life.

Do the Challenges of LGBTQ Asylum Applicants Under Dublin Register With the European Court of Human Rights?

“…Even the Netherlands, which has been considered one of the most progressive States when it comes to LGBTQ rights (Mendos and ILGA, 2019), may have underestimated the harm that transgender asylum applicants can encounter in migratory settings. For example, transgender women asylum seekers who were placed in housing with gay male asylum seekers with ‘gay friendly’ staff experienced stigmatization and isolation and had difficulty getting their specific protection needs met (Van Der Pijl et al, 2018).…”

Experiences of Life and Intersectionality of Transgender Refugees Living in Italy: A Qualitative Approach

“…Despite the growing interest in immigration issues demonstrated by various scientific disciplines (including psychology), there have been few empirical studies conducted on transgender refugees in Europe [ 18 , 26 ]. Previous research on sexual minority immigration has typically drawn on samples combining both non-heterosexual and transgender participants, thereby potentially overlooking the specific challenges faced by transgender subjects [ 9 , 14 , 17 , 18 , 27 , 28 ].…”