3. Undocuqueer Activism

Abstract

This chapter examines the experiences of those who identify as both undocumented and queer: undocuqueer activists. As the narratives in the chapter demonstrate, undocuqueer activist experiences point to the potential promise of an intersectional movement identity in bringing together immigrants, queer communities, and undocuqueer individuals. Undocuqueer activists begin by drawing parallels between the “coming-out” processes that undocumented immigrants and queer individuals have undergone, noting the similarities and differences in the experience for members of each group. Emphasizing the effect of undocuqueer organizers taking a critical role in the national immigrant rights movement, the chapter examines how these activists, especially the youth, have leveraged their intersectional identities to increase the visibility and interconnectedness of queer and immigrant struggles for liberation. Finally, the chapter provides an account of allyship by queer individuals and immigrant rights activists working to enact a politics of solidarity with undocuqueer community members.