Towards Intersectional Justice

This article analyses the first-level refugee appeal cases in New Zealand by queer women through utilizing an intersectional feminist lens. While New Zealand is often seen as welcoming towards individuals who claim asylum on the grounds of sexual orientation, it has been argued that tribunal judges set high thresholds for establishing the credibility of queer women’s asylum applications compared to queer men. An analysis of the decisions of the New Zealand Immigration and Protection Tribunal highlights the judiciary’s increasingly progressive understanding of the challenges faced by queer women, contributing to critical analysis challenging intersectional discrimination impacting queer women. Keywords: gender; sexuality; intersectionality; asylum; New Zealand.