DEADLINE: Refugees stuck in Turkey

Dear friends – Did you see Elham's message? We're so close to being able to help her and 49 other LGBT refugees who are stranded in Turkey, awaiting any news on their requests for asylum. That's why we're increasing our goal – if 500 more All Out members chip in by midnight tonight, we can have an even greater impact on the lives of these queer refugees. Can you donate just €3 to help provide emergency food and shelter for LGBT refugees? Elham and many other queer refugees come from Iran, where it's illegal to be gay. Many have been violently attacked or faced death threats. They come to Turkey as a stopping point before their final destinations. Now, Elham and others are stuck there because of Trump's executive order. Turkey isn't a welcoming place for queer refugees – the violence they faced at home has followed them to Turkey. This is an urgent crisis – we need to meet our goal before midnight tonight. Please, chip in today. CHIP IN FOR LGBT REFUGEES – Matt Previous email: -------------------

Luc, My name is Elham and I'm a refugee from Iran. I was nearly forced into having sexual reassignment surgery as a "cure" for being a lesbian. When I didn't go through with the surgery, my uncle threatened to kill me, so I fled to Turkey. Turkey was supposed to be a temporary stop, while I was resettled to a country that is actually safe for LGBT people like me. That was over three years ago. The United States was my last hope. But President Trump's ban has left countless queer refugees like me stuck in Turkey, with very little help. That's why I'm writing to you today, Luc. All Out is partnering with the Iranian Railroad for Queer Refugees (IRQR), a Canadian-based organisation that helps people like me. By donating just €3 today, you can help provide shelter and food for me and 49 other queer refugees stuck in Turkey for the next four months. Over 400 All Out members have donated – help us get to 1,000 by March 31st and chip in today. Even though you can be put to death for being gay in Iran, life has hardly been easier for me here in Turkey. I've been fired and kicked out of my apartment because I’m a lesbian. But as a refugee, there's little I can do to defend myself legally. I live in fear of the violence and discrimination queer refugees like me face. Our future is so uncertain – we can't go back to the countries we came from, but life is miserable here. Most of us won't know anything about our requests for asylum for at least another four months. By donating just €3, you can help make this horrible situation a little bit easier. With your help, I'll have a place to stay, food on my plate, and the comfort of knowing I'm not alone in my search for safety. Thanks for going All Out, Elham SOURCES: ● Meet An Iranian LGBT Refugee Affected By Executive Order On Immigration – NPR, 31 January 2017 ● US travel ban leaves LGBT refugees in limbo – CNN, 7 March 2017 Want to support All Out's ongoing work? Our tiny team stretches every dollar to make it count. DONATE TODAY

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