Watch this video from Public Interest Projects to see two men discuss what it means to be undocumented, unafraid and unashamed. Josh identifies as queer and undocumented. Jose is a citizen but grew up in an undocumented family. Cartoon avatars of the two and their words flash across multi-color screens. The conversation ends with their photograph.
Josh and Jose talk candidly about their intersected identities using the words "undocumented" and "queer." Queer, a historically derogatory term, is used by some to come out as non-heterosexual without using the LGB labels. People in straight looking relationships also sometimes use it to make it transparent that they still have affinity with the LGBT community. Many young activists use this word as a point of pride and strength.
While we've heard the term "undocumented" in discussions on immigration reform, it's often without a deeper discussion of the term. Global migrants flee un- or underemployment, hunger, violence, harassment, homelessness and other challenges. For many, the situations at home were so politically and economically dangerous that they felt they could not wait for the visa granting system to give them the authority to move to the U.S. LGBTQ people who migrate face additional complications including short deadlines to file for asylum and the LGBTQ children of undocumented parents face the added barriers that not having documentation can bring.
Watch the video and let us know what you think.