A young Afghan man seeking asylum in Austria to avoid persecution for his homosexuality has been turned away, with officials deeming him not gay enough.
According to Irish Times the 18-year-old first applied for refugee status in 2016 but was rejected, with officials saying: “neither your walk, your affectations nor your clothes give even the slightest indication that you could be homosexual”.
A report from the hostel the young man stayed questioned the likelihood the man could be gay, as he'd been involved in physical altercations during his stay.
Seemingly bound by stereotypes, the report noted: “a potential for aggression . . . that would not be expected from a homosexual”.
It continued, detailing the man's "loner" demeanor and posing the question: "are homosexuals not more the sociable type?”
In their verdict, officials wrotethat they did not believe the 18-year-old when he said that he'd been attracted to members of the same sex from the age of 12.
“In an under-sexualised society like Afghanistan, in which there are no public sexual allurements through fashion and advertising, it is not very likely to have been ‘sexualised’ so young,” they wrote.
“You are not homosexual and, on your return to Afghanistan, have nothing to fear.”
The man has reportedly appealed the ruling.
RECOMMENDED
How you can help refugees and asylum seekers
RECOMMENDED
LGBT+ asylum seekers on the rise in the UK
