Learn About The Work of Explorer and Photojournalist Bradley Secker, Who Documents LGBTQ+ Asylum Seekers

Bradley Secker is a photojournalist and National Geographic Explorer based in Istanbul, Turkey. His work focuses on themes of identity and migration—covering stories about how identity shapes lives in challenging and unexpected ways, particularly within sexual and ethnic minority groups. Bradley’s current project, called “Gayropa,” documents LGBTQ+

• people that have migrated to various European countries due to their sexuality and/or gender identity. 

In honor of Pride Month, we talked to Bradley about his work, what he thinks people can learn from the stories he documents, and how he’s celebrating Pride Month.

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Tell us about your current project with NGS and why you are passionate about it.

My current project is called “Gayropa.” It’s a visual documentation of LGBTIQ people that have migrated to various European countries due to their sexuality and/or gender identity. They are claiming asylum or have received asylum and are beginning to rebuild their lives across Europe. I’m particularly passionate about this project as the topic of LGBTIQ migration has been something I’ve covered heavily and predominantly in my personal work from 2010, in Syria. It has led me to this new chapter of the work (which is essentially a natural progression of the stories being covered) across Europe, with the generous support of the National Geographic Society.