Current MSc Global Development (Migration, Mobility and Displacement) student Jess Walmsley, talks us through the dissertation ‘Queried about being queer: The role of digital media for LGBTQ+ people seeking asylum in the UK’, that she produced as an undergraduate studying BSc International Disaster Management and Humanitarian Response at the university. 

Why I Chose to Research LGBTQ+ Lives

I started researching LGBTQ+ issues during my undergraduate degree in International Disaster Management and Humanitarian Response at HCRI. Early on, I noticed a lack of LGBTQ+ voices in the literature on disaster response. There was a serious lack of intersectional approaches from NGOs, and queer experiences in crises were barely considered.

At the same time, I became increasingly interested in the UK asylum system, and I knew I wanted to focus my dissertation on something that combined these interests. That’s when I decided to research the experiences of LGBTQ+ people seeking asylum in the UK, using my dissertation as a way to dig deeper into an area I felt wasn’t getting enough attention.

University of Manchester lecturers like Dr Nuno Ferreira (former) and Dr Lukasz Szulc (current) have been doing amazing work in pushing for better representation of queer voices in research. But there’s still so much more to be done.

Pushing for Representation, On and Off Campus

Beyond my research, I’ve always been passionate about pushing for better representation of LGBTQ+ voices on campus.

After struggling to find proper queer representation on campus, I became the LGBTQ+ Representative for the UoM Feminist Collective, where I made sure we invited a diverse range of queer voices to speak at our events. I also chaired the Women in Media Conference, advocating for broader representation of marginalised voices in journalism.

As Editor-in-Chief of The Mancunion, I used my platform to push for more awareness of LGBTQ+ rights at UoM, not just during LGBTQ+ History Month, but all year round.

The Reality of Queer Asylum in the UK

My research into LGBTQ+ asylum seekers in the UK exposed the deeply flawed and invasive processes queer refugees face. Under the Home Office’s increasingly restrictive immigration policies, the asylum system has become even harder to navigate, especially for those fleeing persecution for their sexuality or gender identity.

One of the biggest issues is proving identity. LGBTQ+ asylum seekers are often expected to provide ‘credible evidence’ of their sexuality or gender identity, although many have spent their entire lives hiding it, especially if they come from one of the 64 countries that still criminalise homosexuality.

The shift towards big data and digital surveillance in the asylum process is even more worrying. Through my research, I analysed appeal tribunal documents and found that asylum seekers’ evidence included:

📍 GPS location data 💬 WhatsApp messages
🏳️‍🌈 Pride event photos
📸 Intimate images
😍 Even emoji use in texts

The idea that someone’s sexuality can (or should) be ‘proven’ through invasive data collection is horrifying, and yet, it’s happening. My research aimed to highlight these issues and challenge the growing reliance on technology to make decisions that deeply affect human lives.

Why Academia Still Matters

With LGBTQ+ identities and migration becoming increasingly politicised, research is more important than ever. Academia has a responsibility to challenge harmful narratives, push for intersectionality, and centre the voices of those who are often ignored.

This also means decolonising research, questioning the colonial histories embedded in migration policies, development theories, and even the reading lists we use in classrooms. For me, research is about advocacy, representation, and making sure that queer voices are heard in conversations that directly impact them.

Related