Link

The report, "Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth: An epidemic of homelessness," estimates that out of an estimated 1.6 million homeless youth in the United States, between 20 and 40 percent are LGBT. These figures are based on available research. The report also provides a glimpse into why LGBT youth are at such a high risk for homelessness and other critical problems that impact them.

The Task Force reports that in a study of homeless youth in Illinois, nearly 15 percent identified as LGB, "questioning" or "something else." Chicago published a report in 2005 where the rate for these groups was roughly 23.1 and 22.4 percent, respectively. A youth group in Decatur found that 42 percent of homeless youth identified as LGB.

Related article, `Hope Store' for Homeless LGBT Youth to Open

This is good, someone finally found out that there are a lot of GLBT youth out there without any place to go, except the streets. Next they will find out that most are doing drugs and the suicide rate is high for this group of children.
Sheila

Oh, but will society correctly blame the homelessness of them being ostracized by family, school, employers, and society as a whole?  Or will they blame it on orientation/TG?

Kaelin,
   You know the answer to that one. Of course it is all their fault. They had no business, at that age, to be Gay or Trans. Why would any self respecting family want to have someone in their home who acts like that. How can a school put up with it either, what would the parents say about this. The PTA would have a fit. There goes the neighborhood.
Sheila

UK is accused of failing children

The UK has been accused of failing its children, as it comes bottom of a league table for child well-being across 21 industrialised countries.

Unicef looked at 40 indicators from the years 2000-2003 including poverty, family relationships, and health.

One of the report's authors told the BBC that under-investment and a "dog-eat-dog" society were to blame for Britain's poor performance.

US comes to essentially the same point average.  There is a little separation between the two of them and the other 19 countries.

Sometimes it's tempting to focus on how TGs are failed by society, but I think the failure of US/UK to raise children is a reason people lack the openness and understanding to appropriately work with TGs.

I have a little bit of first hand experience at this, and when I was out there, I would say that I met quite a few gay and otherwise gendered people. It was actually quite intresting, I did meet a small group of them that I don;t think were actually gay from any real realization, or deep feeling of self, in some cases it was just out of nesscity to make money, or to get drugs. I found a lot it to be more about just self expression and stuff like that. Some were quite desperate, and it was a scary place, very unpredictable and lonley.

My saving grace was that I met my freind, he was an older gentleman, and actually helped out quite a few of the homeless in the area, but we actually became freinds. He was poor too, and was actually on disabilty, but he also ran a small junk store out of his garage that was next to his apartment, which was actually just a one room office that he lived in and he let me stay in the back of the garage. My other saving grace that I would often think about when I was with some of the other kids and people out there, was that even though I was there and that was my life at that point, I was just a phone call away from an airplane ticket home, but I was determined to stay and go through with this transition thing, so I just accepted my lot and just forgot about that out. But for many there, there was no out, and it was pretty sad, I really felt sorry for a lot of them.

Another intresting thing is that when we would go downtown to the Soup Line, oftentimes, we would get turned away untill the older homeless adults got theirs, its like we were even looked down on more, becuase we were young and should be out working and making our way. There was actually a lot discrimanation against us, just for being young.

More does need to be done in this country about the homeless, its a bad thing. I was sort of a self imposed homeless person and always had a way out, but many more need actual help, and its hard.

-pass-

I'm afraid that many have the perspective that it's just better off to let them die.  And they actually would prefer that to happen.

I remember when "GRID" was identified (the former acronym for AIDS) and associated firstly with gay men.  I lived in Utah at the time.  I heard many times from "good Christian" folks and from the pulpit that it was God's wrath dished out to those who "pursued that lifestyle".  They were sinners who deserved nothing less.

This is more of the same attitude.  It's a hateful, careless, and all to selfish view of the world.  Yes... those nice religious zealots.  They too will have their due.

Cindi