Japanese lesbian couple granted refugee status in Canada

Ryan General

21 May 2024 at 3:31 pm·1-min read

[Source]

A Japanese lesbian couple has been granted refugee status in Canada after enduring discrimination in Japan.

Key points:

Eri, aged in her 30s, and Hana, in her 50s, got married in Canada in 2019 but faced discrimination upon their return to Japan.
Canada said it recognized the lack of legal marriage protections for same-sex couples and the risk of persecution in Japan.
The couple moved together to Canada in 2021 and were granted refugee status in Sept. 2023.

The details:

While Japan has local partnership systems for same-sex couples, it still doesn't have national marriage equality. LGBTQ+ rights advocates say social acceptance lags behind legal progress in Japan.
Hana and Eri said they faced workplace discrimination and social stigma in the country. The couple sought refugee status by submitting a 200-page document to Canada detailing their experiences with discrimination. They underwent a series of interviews and public hearings before their applications were approved.
In granting the request, Canada cited the U.N. Committee's report on widespread discrimination against women and sexual minorities in Japan.
The women, who now have permanent resident status in Canada, said they decided to share their experiences to raise awareness about the challenges of the LGBTQ+ community in Japan.

Tangent:

Ironically, Japan granted asylum to a lesbian woman from Uganda in 2023.

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