Drag show against trans and homophobia in azc: “This is really not possible in our own country”

The international day against homophobia and transphobia (IDAHOT) is an annual event that focuses on inclusivity and diversity within the COA and azcs. At the asylum seekers’ center in Heerhugowaard, cheerful music is playing and it is busy. Many of the people walking around were forced to leave their country because of their identity or orientation.

One of the visitors is Efe (23) from Nigeria. He has been living in the Netherlands for 2.5 years. Wrapped in a rainbow flag, he is dancing outside in the square with his friend John. Because they are not married, they live separately from each other in different asylum seekers’ centres, says Efe. But no distance is too great for their love.

To marry

“We see each other a lot outside the azc. In the future we definitely want to get married. There is so much acceptance for homosexuality here. I’m glad I’m here, together with him. I can’t be myself in my own country.”

Arshia (24) and Majid (26) met each other about two months ago in the azc of Heerhugowaard and soon fell madly in love with each other. But their roommates didn’t want to know about it. They were ostracized from their Iranian group of friends in the azc. “Within a day we were assigned a new room. Now we live together. We share the apartment with four others.”

Betrayed by friends

It was also not safe for Arshia to stay in his homeland. Betrayed by his own friends, he had to say goodbye to Iran and his family.

“I was in Armenia when my father called to warn me. I was not allowed to return. Soldiers broke into our house and took all laptops and telephones. Some friends of mine had told their fathers that I am gay. They turned out to be a senior position in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRG).”

He still says he is being harassed by the IRGC. “Sometimes I get messages from a strange number with coordinates of the asylum seekers’ center in Heerhugowaard. ‘We know where you are’, it says. Mafia practices. It sometimes frightens me, but I won’t be scared anymore.”

Back to your own country

From the Netherlands, the two men continue to campaign against the strict mullahs in Iran. “As a people, we have finally stood up against the regime, thanks to the younger generation. We will certainly return to our own country, but only when gays are no longer arrested or lynched. Here I have my freedom back and I feel safe he says, wrapping an arm around his new flame.

There are various information stands on the outside square of the azc, where leaflets are handed out and those present are chatting. A little further on, two people are singing along with a karaoke song. There are snacks and drinks and there is dancing and singing along. Then everyone hurries to the sports hall: the show is about to begin.

“What is all this?”

The drag show begins fashionably late, almost thirty minutes. Twelve drags from various asylum seekers’ centers in the Netherlands walk the red carpet in high heels, swinging their hips.

“What is all this?” asks 30-year-old Rana from Pakistan, surprised. The whole scene seems to cause him some discomfort at first, but soon he claps along with every applause. The room seems to be full of enthusiastic people, from all kinds of different countries. There is loud cheering and waving of rainbow flags.

But outside at the gate is Mohamad from Libya. He smokes a cigarette in silence. As he blows gray clouds into the sky, he stares at something in the distance. As if he has to process today’s images. “I find it difficult today,” he admits. “In my own country, things like this are really not allowed. Being homosexual and transgender is strictly forbidden there.”

No incidents

Despite the discomfort experienced by some, according to Ronald Smallenburg of the COA, the day went “surprisingly positive”. “Fortunately, there have been no incidents. Everyone treated each other with respect and I have mainly seen happy faces.”