On the Streets
The Federal Response to Gay and Transgender Homeless Youth
SOURCE: AP/Leslie Mazoch
There are approximately 1.6 million to 2.8 million homeless young people in the United States, and estimates suggest that disproportionate numbers of those youth are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender.
By Nico Sifra Quintana , Josh Rosenthal, Jeff Krehely | June 21, 2010
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2010/06/on_the_streets.html (http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2010/06/on_the_streets.html)
Gay and Transgender Youth Homelessness by the Numbers
Every child deserves a supportive and loving home. But for many lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender children and youth, that home is not available.* Gay and transgender youth are disproportionately represented among homeless youth in our country, experiencing extreme rates of violence, discrimination, and poor health while homeless.
This is happening at least partly because gay and transgender people are coming out at younger ages as society becomes increasingly supportive of equality. Twenty years ago, most people started coming out in their 20s, well after most had left home and started working. If someone's family rejected them for being gay or transgender, it may have been emotionally painful, but the person could still likely take care of himself or herself.
*^&^%^ing homophobic and transphobic parents. When they abuse and/or abandon their queer kids, they are breaking the law. Their only consequence is, in their eyes, a good one: the offensive kid is out of their hair. Sure, the government should be looking out for these kids, but why aren't there negative legal and financial consequences for the parents?
If these homeless queer kids weren't disenfranchised, they could sue their parents for child support and emotional damage. That would be something to see.