Refugee Had Asylum Denied As Home Office Didn't Think He Was Gay
August 25, 2021Zac Daily, 32, left Abu Dhabi at the age of 15 with his mother to escape an abusive father just 3 years after Zac realized he was gay.
After living in the UK for a few years, his relationship with his mother collapsed after he discovered correspondence from her trying to get him conversion therapy. She gave him a year to "become straight" and he subsequently fled home, becoming homeless. At this point, friends recommended he formally file for asylum.
He was rejected five times, as the UK government wanted him to "prove" he was gay – something he couldn't do, especially considering how closeted he was.
“They said I should go back home and live a gay life in secret, and I’ll be fine,” Daily said.
Seeking support from a therapist, he went on to attend his first Pride in 2012 – which meant that the Home Office finally granted him asylum.
Daily is not the first asylum seeker to face such issues as the UK government continues to play the "tough on immigration" image.
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