01/10/2024 | Writer: Belgin Günay
We spoke with Victor, who had to leave his country, Iran, due to his intersex identity, about his experiences as an intersex migrant.
Victor’s story, currently living in Australia after passing through Turkey, sheds light on how the discrimination faced by intersex people is compounded by the challenges of migration.
Growing up in Iran: “I was always aware of not being affirmed”
Victor, who was born and raised in Iran, says their life became increasingly difficult after the age of 13:
“Even though I was always aware of not being affirmed by my family and society, I was a carefree and happy child. But life became harder when puberty started. My family was always against me, and I had to run away from home at a young age because I was constantly afraid of being killed by my father.”
Victor emphasizes that there is no awareness about intersex people in Iran, both in society and among doctors, and that the political environment makes organizing impossible:
“It’s extremely hard to exist as an intersex person. Neither society nor the doctors have enough knowledge about this. And due to the political situation, it's impossible to organize for intersex or LGBT+ rights.”
From Iran to Turkey: “I thought it would be better”
Due to the repression in Iran, Victor was forced to leave his country, and his path led him to Turkey. However, he realized that the conditions in Turkey were not much better than in Iran:
“As someone whose ID listed me as female, it was very difficult for me to legally leave Iran, and it was a very turbulent process. When I left the country, my first stop was Turkey, and although I had more hopeful dreams, I soon realized that the conditions in Turkey were not much better than in Iran. Countries with strong religious sensitivities are truly hell for LGBT+ people. Turkey was really bad for me. I’m still trying to forget what I experienced in both Iran and Turkey.”
Reflecting on his time in Turkey, Victor shares how deeply rooted racism, xenophobia, and queerphobia made life unbearable. He says one of the most difficult issues he faced was the sexual harassment he experienced from men in his workplaces:
“One of the worst problems I faced in Turkey was that all the men I worked with wanted to have sex with me, but I wasn’t interested in that at all. Also, being both a foreigner and LGBT+ made it harder for them to decide what salary to pay me. You know, they act racist and sexist when determining your pay. I never received what I deserved. They weren’t interested in talking to me and didn’t bother to get to know me beyond their sexual comments.”
Victor describes this time in Turkey as one of the most difficult experiences of his life, which is why he continues to struggle to forget it. Victor says he is still struggling to forget the traumas he endured in these countries: “I need a long time to heal and forget what happened.”
Moving to Australia: “I stayed in a horrible refugee camp for 11 months”
With the help of the United Nations, Victor managed to move to Australia, but his initial experience there was also challenging. He was placed in a refugee camp outside of Melbourne, where the conditions were unbearable:
“I thought about committing suicide all the time in the camp. I stayed there for 11 months, and the conditions were truly horrific. Now, I’m no longer in the camp, and I feel a little calmer, but I’m still battling depression, borderline personality disorder, and many other traumas. I’ve been living in my own house for six months, but I still have nightmares at night, where I dream I’m back in the camp. These memories will probably haunt me for years. It will take a long time to forget what I went through in Iran, Turkey, and the camp.”
“I still have a long road ahead of me to build a life here”
Victor is now trying to rebuild his life in Australia, where he sees some positive developments regarding intersex rights. He says there is an intersex organization in Australia, and knowing that the country elected the world’s first openly intersex mayor, Tony Briffa, gives him hope:
“Australia has an intersex organization, but I’ve only seen it on social media so far. I haven’t met anyone there yet. I want to learn more about the organization, attend their meetings, and make intersex friends. I also hope to find a good doctor to continue my gender-affirming surgeries here. I had two surgeries in Iran, but I still need more.”
Victor acknowledges that, while he is in a safer place now, adapting to a new country and society is not easy: “I still have a long road ahead of me to build a life here. But after everything I’ve been through, I guess I should feel lucky to have made it this far.”
Currently, Victor is focused on continuing his education in Australia, where he is learning English and aims to study Social Work in the future. He reflects on his journey with a sense of cautious optimism:
“I feel lucky to have reached this point, but there is still a long way to go. Adapting to a new country and society is difficult, but after everything I’ve been through, I won’t stop fighting for a better life.”
*This article was published with the financial support of European Union. The content is under the responsibility of KaosGL.org and the opinions at the articles doesn’t necessarily reflect the opinions of European Union.
Tags: human rights
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