30-year-old Mohamed Kombo came to Sweden two years ago. In his home country of Tanzania, homophobia is widespread. Homosexuality is not allowed and there LGBTQI people can be forced to go underground to avoid being declared. Mohamed finally felt he had no choice.
According to the UN refugee agency UNHCR, LGBTQI refugees are a particularly vulnerable group in need of extra support.
The National Association for the Rights of Homosexuals, Bisexuals, Transgenders, Queers and Intersex Persons, RFSL, has special departments for asylum seekers, undocumented people and newly arrived LGBTQI people: Newcomers.
Large in Västmanland
There are eleven departments spread across the country.
Västmanland’s Newcomers section has around 100 members, which makes it one of the largest in the country – only Malmö and Gothenburg are bigger.
Which countries the members come from varies, but right now many come from African countries such as Uganda, Gambia and Tanzania, says Johanna Eriksson, chairman of RFSL Västmanland.
– The situation for LGBTQI people in Russia has greatly deteriorated in a short time, so we also have members from Russia, she says.
In the clip: “The first time I wore the rainbow flag I was scared” – follow along when SVT meets parts of RFSL Västmanland’s Newcomers.
Letter by letter: Are you aware of the umbrella term LGBTQI+?
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The umbrella term letter by letter – and with an important little plus at the end. Photo: Christoffer Söderman/SVT