“Being here has made me question if I even have human rights.” 

　　That’s how Taylor, a young refugee from Saudi Arabia who identifies as queer, feels about claiming asylum in Britain. My choices were staying in the closet my entire life and pretending to be religious. 

　　“Or, I could be me and die there. That’s why I came over.” Taylor lived in a hotel room in west London for 15 months before being moved to the prison barge, the Bibby Stockholm.

　　Taylor argued with the Home Office that she shouldn’t be moved and sent videos of her being abused “for being queer” to them. 

　　“The Home Office said I submitted the evidence too late. On the barge I was sexually harassed a few times and I had multiple roommates at once.” 

　　“Eventually the Home Office agreed I was right about not belonging there,” she explained. “But it’s frustrating. It didn’t need to happen.”

　　When she was moved off the barge, Taylor was given just one hour’s notice and wasn’t told where she’d be going. Taylor said being on the barge “sucked”. 

　　“No one was my age. I couldn’t leave at any time, which was disturbing and made me feel claustrophobic.” 

　　“When sleeping, showering, changing, you’re always around people. It’s really hard, especially when you’re young and queer. I was really uncomfortable.”

　　Taylor added, “It’s airport-style security every time you come and go from the barge, even when you just want to smoke. You’re not allowed to bring in alcohol either or keep food in your room. It’s all a deterrent to stop people seeking asylum.”

　　Taylor says one of her biggest issues is that she’s not been allowed to work or study. 

　　“I’m not moving forward in my life,” she explained. “I get £8 or £9 a week, so I can’t work, but I can’t travel either. I’m in limbo.” 

　　Taylor says the system is set up against refugees “on purpose”. “They want to make your life as miserable as possible. Being queer is hard enough in society at large. I’m constantly avoiding being a victim of a hate crime. Then there’s being an asylum seeker on top of everything with the added racism and unfamiliarity,” she added.

　　Taylor says the asylum system is “exhausting”. “People are traumatised, tired and scared. Instead of being dealt with sensitively, we’re treated with disbelief. 

　　“We need more productive things to encourage us to find work or access psychiatric support. This stuff is important.” 

　　“But we’re not encouraged to live here. We’re made to suffer through the process. Once we’ve survived that, we’re left without any energy to be functioning members of society.” 

　　“Rishi Sunak says being a woman isn’t a good enough reason to seek asylum or that queer people shouldn’t classify. If your life being at risk isn’t a reason to have asylum, then nothing is.” 

　　“I’m an outcast in two different ways. It’s isolating and difficult. It could easily be changed, but people aren’t willing to.”

　　Editor: Zhong Yao  Wei Xiaoxue

　　From:https://socialistworker.co.uk/news/they-want-to-make-life-as-miserable-refugee-speaks-out/（2024-4-16）