Fragmented identities: legal recognition of same-sex unions and life trajectories of queer Ukrainian refugees in EU member states

This article examines how the legal recognition of same-sex relationships shaped the migration choices and settlement experiences of queer Ukrainian refugees displaced by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Drawing on qualitative interviews conducted with LGBTQI+ Ukrainians who received temporary protection in European Union Member States, the analysis focuses on queer women and trans people who migrated with partners or children. It compares experiences in Austria and Germany, where same-sex relationships are legally recognised, with those in Poland and Slovakia, where they are not. The findings show that legal recognition rarely determined the initial destination, which was more strongly influenced by existing social networks, safety and practical considerations. However, it became increasingly important for long-term settlement, enabling greater social legitimacy, institutional recognition and family security. By contrast, participants in Poland and Slovakia described the need to conceal their relationships, greater economic precarity, and persistent fears of discrimination despite access to temporary protection. The article also highlights the experiences of mixed nationality couples, trans people, and polyamorous families whose situations expose the limits of existing refugee and family migration frameworks. It argues that, beyond being a formal right, legal recognition also matters as a mechanism through which belonging, care and family legitimacy are negotiated in conditions of forced migration.