A Birmingham community has rallied around an LGBTQ+ asylum seeker currently fighting for her right to remain in the UK. Virginia Wairimu, 51, was born in Kenya and fled to the UK when her safety, along with that of her family, was threatened due to her sexuality. Now living in Bournville , Virginia said her first asylum claim was rejected because the Home Office did not believe she was a lesbian, and they later suggested she could “go back and be discreet.
” She is currently preparing a fresh claim, stating that her life would be "in danger" if she were forced to return to Kenya. Nearly 500 people have signed a petition supporting Virginia's fight to stay in the UK. When approached, the Home Office has stated that applications from individuals who have faced discrimination due to their sexual orientation are considered based on their individual merits.
READ MORE: £100k Grindr gang who trapped victims facing jail over criminal reign of terror “I knew from an early age that my family would not approve of my sexuality,” Virginia told BirminghamLive . Growing up in a strict, Catholic family, as she grew up she became aware of violent attacks against gay people. “This was very frightening to me, and the only way for me to stay safe was to be discreet,” she said, describing a situation that made her feel hopeless and worthless.
Under pressure from her family, she entered a violent, abusive marriage, from which she eventually fled with their baby daughter. As a single mo.