L’identité des personnes LGBTQ+ en contexte migratoire : entre dialogues et intersections

Abstract

In at least 67 countries, LGBTQ+ individuals face discrimination and persecution due to their sexual and gender identity. For this reason, some decide to leave their countries of origin to escape violence and to seek better living conditions. Regardless of their reasons for migration, it significantly impacts the expression of their sexual orientation and gender identity. Once they arrive in the host country, they often experience other forms of hardship or violence due to socio-cultural differences, the perception of otherness, and hosting conditions. These factors can have either a positive or a negative impact on their identities. In this context, migration leads to a process of questioning and reconstruction of identity, which needs to be understood in all its complexity if we are to adequately meet their needs for psychosocial support. To gain a better understanding of the impact of migration on the identities of LGBTQ+ migrants, we have based our study on the concepts of the Dialogical Self proposed by H. Hermans, and those of Intersectionality developed by K. Crenshaw. On the one hand, the Dialogical Self depicts identity as a dynamic ensemble of relational Self “voices” that can change, be challenged or reinforced based on time and context, allowing for the development of a complex and harmonious perception of the Self. On the other hand, Intersectionality underscores how different systems of oppression operate to create novel experiences for individuals with multiple marginalized identities. Taking into account the complex and multiple identities that engage in dialogue and that intersect with each other seems to us to be essential for the elaboration of a more decentralized and well-founded clinical and psychosocial approach.