LGBTQ Asylum Support, Our Blog, The People We Help

What Is the Office of Refugee Resettlement (and How Does It Help LGBTQ Asylum Seekers)?

The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) is a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services responsible for providing resources, support, and oversight to refugees, asylees, and other humanitarian arrivals as they rebuild their lives in the United States. For LGBTQ individuals fleeing persecution, understanding ORR’s role can make the difference between a smooth transition and months of confusion navigating a complex system.
Since its creation in 1980, ORR has coordinated resettlement services through a network of nonprofit organizations, state …

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LGBTQ Asylum Support, Our Blog, The People We Help

What Challenges Do Refugees Face During Resettlement (and How Does It Work)?

Refugee challenges are the complex, interconnected obstacles that displaced people face when fleeing persecution and rebuilding their lives in a new country, from securing basic needs like housing and healthcare to overcoming language barriers, employment discrimination, and cultural adjustment. For LGBTQ refugees, these hurdles multiply. Many escape countries where their identity was criminalized, only to confront new systems that fail to recognize gender identity, dismiss trauma, or replicate the very prejudices they fled.
Understanding these challenges matters because over 100 million people worldwide are currently displaced by conflict, persecution, and violence. …

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Our Blog, The People We Help

Selling Inherited Property While Seeking Asylum: What LGBTQ Refugees Need to Know

Selling inherited property across borders requires understanding your legal standing first—even with asylum-pending status, you can typically complete property transactions in your home country through remote processes, though you’ll need proper documentation and often legal representation. LGBTQ asylum seekers face unique complications when family estrangement means limited access to essential documents or when returning home for signatures poses safety risks, making this guide particularly valuable for navigating remote sales options.
Establish power of attorney with a trusted contact in…

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The People We Help

Taren and Musa Story

Their story is similar to Khalid. The couple from Syria is now living a happy life in Toronto after contacting Outward LGBT Community.
In Syria, they had lived in secret and they had kept their relationship in the closet. Being gay is a criminal offence in Syria. Taren and Musa lived in constant fear if anyone found out.
Eventually, they decided to reach out to Outward LGBT community to help them relocate to a new country where they can be free to live out their relationship and grow old together happily.
In Toronto, they were allocated an apartment and are now safe and proud of their relationship. They are very grateful for Outward LGBT Community for making…

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The People We Help

Khalid Story

Khalid was initially from Russia. Gay men were being tortured and being beaten to death. Through reports by Irina Gordienko and Elena Milashina, stories of the horror unfolding in Chechnya, Russia reached the entire world.
The Novaya Gazeta reported that they were indeed evidence that gay men were being tortured and killed in Russia. Outward LGBT Community immediately reached out to the Russian LGBT network to set up safe houses or people who managed to escape the anti-homosexual purge.
Khalid was one of them. He took a leap of faith and contacted Outward LBGT Community.
He was afraid that the community might be working with the police. Today, he is living a…

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Sally Story

Sally understood she was different right from an early age and she accepted it. When she turned 16, Sally’s mother died and she was forced to go live in the street. Being a lesbian, she was discriminated and underwent brutality.
She reached out to Outward LGBT Community in 2018, to help her move from Barbados. We settled her in the Canada. Sally says that when he first arrived in the Canada she was so excited. She was connected with so many people who were going through the same situation as her. She was also linked with several resources that helped her deal with anxiety and depression. She has so many resources to help her settle in the new environment.
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