Project: “Where We Belong: Claiming Rights, Space, and Representation”
Reporting period: October–January 2026
Promoted by: Romnja Feminist Library
Deliverable: Activity A5 – Drafting Policy or Legislation Recommendations
Addressing the Lived Experiences of Romani Queer Women through an Intersectional Approach – Policy Brief & Research Summary
This policy brief by the Romnja Feminist Library documents the systemic, intersectional discrimination faced by Romani lesbian, bisexual, trans and non-binary women across employment, housing, healthcare, and political participation — exclusion that remains largely invisible within both Roma and LGBTIQ+ advocacy movements. Findings draw on three storytelling workshops with Romani queer women from Romania, Serbia, Germany and Spain, on EL*C’s related study “Intersectionality in Action” (55 in-depth interviews with Black, racialized, Roma and Central Asian lesbians in the EU), and on a Brussels policy dialogue roundtable. Participants describe racial profiling in job markets and housing, racism and lesbophobia in healthcare settings, and pressure to conceal their identity or “whiten” themselves to gain acceptance in politics. The brief calls for embedding tailored measures for Romani queer women into the EU’s 2026–2030 Anti-racism Strategy, Roma Strategic Framework, and LGBTIQ+ Equality Strategy; for meaningful consultation with Romani queer women in policymaking; and for sustainable funding of Roma-led civil society and research. An attached research summary presents the underlying qualitative evidence, including direct testimonies illustrating each theme.
