Diverse LGBTQ+ individuals from various cultural backgrounds forming a circle of support around a stylized map of Australia, conveying inclusivity, community, and resilience.

Beyond Binaries: How Queer Migrant Stories Redefine Identity and Belonging

Reese Marlowe in Culture & Society June 2025 • 4 min read.

"Exploring the voices of LGBTQ+ migrants in Australia reveals a complex tapestry of heritage, sexuality, and resilience."

The experiences of queer migrants often exist at the crossroads of multiple identities, navigating both their sexual orientation and cultural heritage. Traditional assumptions suggest that these individuals face constant tension, shifting between different worlds without fully belonging to either. However, a closer look at the narratives of LGBTQ+ migrants reveals a more nuanced and hopeful reality.

In Australia, the Queering the Air collective on 3CR Community Radio sought to explore these complex experiences through a series of radio documentaries titled 'We Weren't Born Yesterday.' This project delved into the lives of gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, intersex, and queer individuals from diverse diasporic backgrounds, examining their heritage, vocabulary, and intergenerational connections within migrant communities.

This article draws insights from the 'We Weren't Born Yesterday' series, showcasing how queer migrants in Australia are redefining identity and belonging. By amplifying their voices, it challenges conventional understandings and highlights the resilience and community-building efforts of these individuals.

Navigating Multiple Identities: Challenging the Either/Or Narrative

Diverse LGBTQ+ individuals from various cultural backgrounds forming a circle of support around a stylized map of Australia, conveying inclusivity, community, and resilience.

For many years, the prevailing narrative surrounding queer migrants centered on the idea of forced choice. Individuals were often portrayed as having to choose between their sexual identity and their cultural or ethnic identity. This created a sense of constant negotiation and potential conflict, as expressed in Peter Jackson and Gerard Sullivan's 'Multicultural Queer Australian Narratives.'

However, 'We Weren't Born Yesterday' uncovers a different perspective. The series reveals that many queer migrants are successfully integrating various aspects of their lives, embracing their sexuality while maintaining strong bonds with their families and cultures. This integration is not without its challenges, but it demonstrates the evolving dynamics within migrant communities and their increasing openness to diverse sexualities.

Breaking Down Silos: Participants shared stories of finding common ground and support within both LGBTQ+ and cultural communities.
Redefining Family: Many individuals spoke about creating chosen families that embraced their sexual orientation and cultural heritage.
Challenging Cultural Norms: The series highlighted instances of increased acceptance and understanding of diverse sexualities within migrant families.

While the series challenges the notion of strict separation between “queer” and “ethnic” spaces, it acknowledges the continuing salience of fluid identities. Participants expressed that they belong to different groups at different times, their self-perception is fluid and constantly changing according to different contexts, suggesting that this fluidity can act as an acknowledgement of continuing tensions.

Empowering Voices, Building Bridges: The Future of Queer Migrant Narratives

'We Weren't Born Yesterday' serves as a powerful example of how amplifying the voices of marginalized communities can foster understanding and create more inclusive societies. By providing a platform for queer migrants to share their stories, the series challenged stereotypes, celebrated resilience, and promoted community building. As William Yang noted in the Chinese episode, it is crucial to ensure visibility and representation for LGBTQ+ individuals within all communities. The series underscores that there are many people like us, there have always been people like us, translated from Mandarin, all over the world and will be in the future. Through sharing experiences and building bridges, the queer diaspora propels us to build relationships with each other that are deeply rooted in our dynamic heritage.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1080/14443058.2017.1347574, Alternate LINK

Title: We Weren’T Born Yesterday: Reflections On A Radio Documentary Series

Subject: Literature and Literary Theory

Journal: Journal of Australian Studies

Publisher: Informa UK Limited

Authors: Arjun Rajkhowa

Published: 2017-07-03

Everything You Need To Know

What role did 'We Weren't Born Yesterday' play in understanding the experiences of LGBTQ+ migrants in Australia?

The 'We Weren't Born Yesterday' series, produced by the Queering the Air collective on 3CR Community Radio, played a crucial role in amplifying the voices of LGBTQ+ migrants in Australia. It provided a platform for individuals from diverse diasporic backgrounds to share their experiences, challenge stereotypes, celebrate resilience, and foster community building. By exploring their heritage, vocabulary, and intergenerational connections, the series offered a nuanced understanding of the complexities faced by queer migrants.

How does 'We Weren't Born Yesterday' challenge the traditional narrative of queer migrants having to choose between their sexual and cultural identities, as explored by Peter Jackson and Gerard Sullivan?

The prevailing narrative often presented queer migrants as having to choose between their sexual identity and their cultural or ethnic identity, creating a sense of conflict. Peter Jackson and Gerard Sullivan explored this in 'Multicultural Queer Australian Narratives.' However, 'We Weren't Born Yesterday' challenges this 'either/or' narrative by showcasing how many queer migrants successfully integrate their sexuality with their cultural heritage, maintaining strong bonds with their families and cultures. While challenges exist, this integration demonstrates evolving dynamics and increasing openness within migrant communities.

In what ways are queer migrants creating spaces of belonging, as highlighted in the 'We Weren't Born Yesterday' series?

The 'We Weren't Born Yesterday' series revealed that queer migrants are actively creating spaces of belonging. This includes breaking down silos between LGBTQ+ and cultural communities to find common ground and support, redefining family by creating chosen families that embrace both their sexual orientation and cultural heritage, and challenging cultural norms to promote increased acceptance and understanding of diverse sexualities within migrant families. These efforts demonstrate resilience and agency in navigating multiple identities.

How does 'We Weren't Born Yesterday' address the fluidity of identity and the continuing tensions faced by queer migrants, even amidst successful integration?

While 'We Weren't Born Yesterday' highlights the successful integration of identities, it also acknowledges the continuing salience of fluid identities. Participants expressed that their sense of belonging shifts depending on the context, suggesting ongoing tensions and the need for constant negotiation. This fluidity recognizes that identity is not fixed but rather a dynamic and evolving process, influenced by various social and cultural factors. The series emphasizes the importance of understanding these complexities and avoiding generalizations about queer migrant experiences.

What is the broader significance of 'We Weren't Born Yesterday' in promoting inclusivity and understanding within the queer diaspora, as emphasized by William Yang?

William Yang emphasized the importance of visibility and representation for LGBTQ+ individuals within all communities. The series underscores the idea that LGBTQ+ people have always existed across different cultures and throughout history. By sharing experiences and building bridges, 'We Weren't Born Yesterday' encourages the queer diaspora to forge deeper connections rooted in their dynamic heritage, fostering more inclusive and understanding societies. This initiative serves as a testament to the power of storytelling in challenging stereotypes and promoting empathy.