Shared Struggle: Gays, Immigrants Each Can Be Labeled 'Illegal'

Though some have said that the rights of the undocumented must wait until all U.S. citizens achieve equality, a gay immigrant says that all oppression stems from the same source. Marta Donayre is the co-founder of Love Sees No Borders, an organization that advocates for LGBT immigrants and their families. She can be reached though http://www.martadonayre.com or http://www.loveseesnoborders.org.

SUNNYVALE, Calif.--The recent immigration debate has stirred up a lot of emotions in this country. Not too long ago, similar emotions swirled around the issue of same-sex marriage. As a Latina lesbian immigrant, I can't help but feel continually targeted.

On the one hand, my immigrant brothers and sisters call me "immoral." On the other, my lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer brothers and sisters call me "illegal." In the end, both only perpetuate the "otherness" stigma that affects immigrants and LGBTQ people alike. Sadly, both groups fail to see that they have more similarities than differences.

Both LGBTQ people and immigrants are accused of breaking "the law." To some these are sodomy laws (repealed only as recently as 2003), to others it is immigration law. Yet powerful people wrote both legal codes to enforce their personal biases on those deemed "other." In the heat of the argument, the humanity of people like me is completely lost since the "other" is less deserving, or needs to be eliminated somehow.

Both groups also advocate for justice and equality, but unfortunately, only for themselves. During immigration protests I vigorously chant, "What do we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now!" But this chant really means "just us," since the LGBTQ community is never included. The assumption is that all immigrants are heterosexual. As an immigrant, my own movement leaves me behind.

Likewise, I also vigorously chant along to "What do we want? Equality! When do we want it? Now!" at LGBTQ rallies and protests. But, through their citizenship rhetoric, the LGBTQ community has made it very clear that there are some who are more equal than others. The argument is that citizens are more deserving than non-citizens. The immigration debate in the LGBTQ community is limited to partnership recognition. Most times, this is muddled in with marriage. Unless I, as an immigrant, am the appendix of an American citizen whose rights are violated, I do not count at all. The assumption is that all LGBTQ people are citizens. As a lesbian, my own movement leaves me behind.

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