Quote Originally Posted by carlos marvado View Post
Interesting report. The test is obviously designed to weed out bogus gay asylum seekers who know that their countries of origin are on a list of countries that either discriminate in some way against gays or actively persecute them and that they could therefore apply for asylum on that basis. As to how foolproof it is as means of determining sexual orientation, I just don't know, but the main question here I would have thought is, what do genuine gay asylum seekers think about it.....does it infringe their human rights?, is it something they would be embarrassed to undergo? or do they feel that it vindicates their gayness and strengthens their asylum case? People claim asylum under a number of different headings and I see no contradiction in trying to devise tests that can be applied as an aid to determine the veracity of cases in each different category.

To take a completely different example, if a woman claims that she has been raped, is it not normal proceedure for a doctor to take a vaginal swab. Some may argue that this is similar to being violated and losing ones dignity all over again, but it is necessary from a legal standpoint to gather certain evidence for any case which may be brought.

From what Gaylord has posted and given the manner in which I imagine such a test would be conducted, I cannot see it being any more humiliating or degrading then a person going for say a full medical examination.

I would only view it as being objectionable, if the aim of the test was to discriminate against gays and make it more difficult for them to get asylum.
Thanks for that Carlos. So, should we be using lie detectors in the general scrutinisation of asylum applicants?

GL