In a society that values extroverts and ambitious go-getters, it is difficult for more reserved immigrants to succeed. In addition to being an immigrant, also being marginalized by being disabled or a part of the LGBTQ+ community can lead to even more obstacles compounded on top of the challenges immigrants already face.
Alex Sangha, founder of Sher Vancouver, a resource centre for queer youth, and Jenny Kwan, MP for Vancouver East, have spoken out about the many challenges that queer immigrants and disabled immigrants face, and the successes for those that have overcome those barriers.
Importance of resources for queer immigrants
Alex Sangha is the founder of Sher Vancouver, an organization focused on providing resources and counselling to LGBTQ+ youth. He says their doors are open to all who are seeking help, though it is mainly those of South Asian heritage, including many immigrants, who seek information and help
at Sher.
While there are many social opportunities available, Sangha says that it’s important to have safe spaces for various queer communities. Sangha notes a disparity in how spaces for queer communities are funded compared to other community-specific resources, such as youth and senior resources. He points to a lack of government-funded spaces for queer people who are immigrants in the Lower Mainland.
“Queer immigrants, youth, people of colour, and lesbians need their own spaces, but the problem is that there aren’t enough resources to support it,” says Sangha. “While seniors, youth, and other population groups have their own resources, the queer community makes up five to ten percent of the population, but aren’t accordingly funded.”
Just as youth have youth centres, queer immigrants having community centres or other resource centres need not lead to any further marginalization. Instead, it can provide information, job and language training that can lead to being able to integrate both in the greater social and work spheres.
Sangha notes that there are few, if any, self-standing queer-specific resource centres in Surrey that are not reliant on charity or volunteer work. As for Vancouver, while there are some non-profit charitable centres, few can provide the specific resources and information for being a queer immigrant.
Qmunity, one of the few publicly-funded resource centres, has been in the process of approval and fundraising for a newer facility for close to twenty years.
“We’re just trying to get the basics that everyone else has. We’re a niche group that has needs that must be met like others,” says Sangha.
Alex Sangha, founder of Sher Vancouver | Photo courtesy of Alex Sangha
However, there’s more to be done than funding community centres. Sangha says that much of the onus of queer immigrants’ professional integration is on workplaces themselves, that there must be efforts put in to promote a culture of respect for queer folk, including immigrants, in the workplace.
“Every community has homophobic culture, and most gay people have experienced some kind of discrimination,” says Sangha. “Within communities in workplaces, this can lead to not getting a job, or a certain promotion… We need respectful workplace and national policies that recognize the urgency of immigrants and refugee claims of discrimination.”
While spaces such as pride parades in Vancouver and Surrey, as well as publicly-funded resource centres such as Qmunity are crucial steps, Sangha says there’s still much more to be done in reversing dangerous complacency of implicit homophobia, and in creating a culture of tolerance and respect for queer, and particularly queer Muslim immigrants to be able to live fully and openly as themselves.
“I want people to know that what happened in Orlando can happen anywhere. Recently there has been unjustified backlash against the queer Muslim community,” says Sangha. “The actions of one person should not be used to stereotype an entire community. Speak out against it, otherwise it is condoning it.”
Accessibility and overcoming layered barriers
MP for Vancouver East, Jenny Kwan | Photo courtesy of Jenny Kwan
Jenny Kwan is the MP for Vancouver East, and has spoken about issues that immigrants with disabilities face in various facets of life. She argues that while resources for many immigrants are lacking, those issues, such as the language barrier, are layered on top of challenges immigrants and refugees with disabilities face.
“One of the most important parts for immigrants, particularly for those with a disability, are resettlement services,” says Kwan.
Kwan states that without resources to meet the challenges of immigration, many are unable to access the help that they need.
Having a language barrier for any immigrant can lead to difficulties participating fully in daily life, says Kwan, from being able to go to a doctor without need of a translator, to asking about a certain product at a grocery store.
“Integration really means being able to connect and fully-participate in the community and community activities without barriers and obstacles,” says Kwan. “This is the fullest sense of democracy.”
Kwan notes that these challenges are compounded when immigrants have disabilities, from difficulty in physically accessing resources for those who have difficulty with mobility, to immigrant children struggling to learn a second language with a developmental disability.
Upon the availability of resources and funding to assess disabilities, Kwan says that opportunities needed for disabled immigrants to be able to succeed will become attainable.
“When the opportunities are made available, and when people are able to get assessments, those individuals tend to thrive. From starting businesses, becoming PhD students, lawyers, doctors, and becoming advocates for others, these people are able to participate fully,” says Kwan.
