New report reveals epidemic of homelessness among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth

[Sapphire Blue]

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Article 25:

(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

(2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.

http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html

New report reveals epidemic of homelessness among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth
January 30, 2007

DOWNLOAD THE FULL REPORT: http://www.thetaskforce.org/register_for_report

Download city-specific fact sheets at http://www.thetaskforce.org/reports_and_research/homeless_youth

Download the audio press conference at http://www.thetaskforce.org/files/audio/01_30_07LGBT_Youth_Homelessness.mp3

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 — According to a new report, Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth: An epidemic of homelessness, released nationally today by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force in collaboration with the National Coalition for the Homeless, between 20 and 40 percent of homeless youth identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender.

Given that approximately 3 to 5 percent of the U.S. population identifies as gay or lesbian, these figures are grossly disproportionate. Nationwide, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, each year between 570,000 and 1.6 million youth run away or are homeless. This means that between 320,000 and 640,000 of these youth are LGBT.

Through a comprehensive analysis of the available research and professional literature, the report responds to basic questions, including why so many LGBT youth are becoming and remaining homeless. It addresses the harassment and violence that many of these youth experience in existing public shelter system, and summarizes research on critical problems affecting these youth, including mental health issues, substance abuse and risky sexual behavior. The report also analyzes government responses to youth homelessness and the specific impact on LGBT homeless youth of federal funding for faith-based service providers.

“It is a national disgrace that 20 to 40 percent of homeless youth are lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender. It is a further disgrace that federal programs that assist homeless young people have been pitifully underfunded. The Task Force calls on the president and the new Congress — as they begin this Monday to focus on the federal budget — to address the unmet social service needs of all vulnerable Americans. That means recognizing and addressing the epidemic of homelessness among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth,” said Matt Foreman, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

“This report brings attention to the dangers and inequalities faced by LGBT homeless youth, who make up a disproportionate percentage of the homeless youth population. It will enlighten the public on the needs of this traditionally underserved group and promote positive policy change at both the state and federal levels,” said Michael Stoops, acting executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless.

http://www.thetaskforce.org/press/releases/prHY_013007

Please, if you have a printer, download, print & send this report (“Without Housing: Decades of Federal Housing Cutbacks, Massive Homelessness and Policy Failure: http://wraphome.org/wh_press_kit/Without_Housing_20061114.pdf) to your Senators & Representative. Ask them what they will do to restore funding to Federal Housing Programs; ask them what they will do to alleviate the epidemic of homelessness in America.

Thank you!

[Lex]

1. Normally otherwise sane families will kick their LBGT kids out of the house.

Slam the door on them and be done with it.

Sad but true.

[Sapphire Blue]

9. These "Normally otherwise sane families" are sorely lacking in parental love.

When my kids were teens I became 'Mom' to several of their friends who were kicked to the curb by their 'parents' for the 'crime' of being GLBT. They still call me Mom... and they will always be my children.

[Lex]

18. Also, LBGT adults are trying to provide homes and stability

to some of these teenagers who are kicked out by their families.

The Point Foundation has started providing funds to try to get them into school after high school, if they can make it that far.

The problem is a lot bigger than most people realize.

[Sapphire Blue]

25. kick for/kudos to the Point Foundation!

:kick: Point Foundation: http://www.thepointfoundation.org

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

[dsc]

23. You are a special woman

I am a lucky guy in that my family didn't kick me out, but I know of people whom that happened to. You made lives easier that were very hard, and that is a great thing.

[xchrom]

2. homeless lgbtq homeless/runaway youth

have been a huge problem for a very long time -- but NO admin wants to deal with the problem appropriately because of religious conservatives.

many lgbtq youth/runaways have needed housing -- many, many AWAY from their biological families.

americans have an obsession with biological families that doesn't warrant it.

[Sapphire Blue]

10. They may not want to deal w/it, but we need to insist that they do.

We owe this to our children... all of our children.

[bobbolink]

3. It may be a new report, but the phenomenon isn't new.

It's exacerbated by the fact that so many localities are hamstrung by laws that prevent agencies from even housing them!

If *any* of these kids become "successful" adults, it is a miracle!

:cry:

Thanks, as always, my friend! :loveya:

[Sapphire Blue]

11. No, it isn't a new phenomenon.

Doing something about it would certainly be new, though.

More from the article...

The report concludes with critical public policy recommendations including:

Establishing funding streams to provide housing options for all homeless youth and requiring that recipients of these funds are committed to the safe and appropriate treatment of LGBT homeless youth.

Permitting dedicated shelter and housing for LGBT youth.

Extending comprehensive health insurance and services through the age of 24 to all low-income youth via Medicaid.

Requiring all agencies that seek public funding and licensure to serve homeless youth to adopt nondiscrimination policies for LGBT youth.

Mandating LGBT awareness training as a part of the professional licensing process for all health care, social service, child welfare and juvenile justice agency staff.

http://www.thetaskforce.org/press/releases/prHY_013007

:hug:

[bobbolink]

17. "Requiring all agencies...."

While I certainly agree with the spirit of this, the reality of it gives me caution.

These kids are already treading on the edge, and if they were "sheltered" in a place that was only doing so because they were forced to, I shudder to think of some of the abuse they might be at risk for.

As one who knows first hand the abuses when trapped....

[keepCAblue]

4. Glad to see the report, but this is not "new"

This has been a problem for years and it's a sad commentary on our society that the problem isn't getting any better, in spite of the advancements the glbtq community has had to fight tooth and nail for. And, in spite of this glaring problem, our national "leaders" have YET to pass any federal protection for GLBTQs.

[bobbolink]

7. You worded it better than I did.

Also, what is being done to prevent suicides of gay youth?!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

24. This is totally not new

I volunteered in a program for street kids for four years beginning in 1994, and even back then, they told us during the orientation that about 1/3 of the kids were GLBT kids who had been kicked out by their parents.

There was one guy whose parents told him that he could move back home if he agreed to join the football team. :eyes: Aside from the fact that sports have no influence on sexual orientation, this guy was short and slight and would not have made the football team anyway, but it just goes to show you how clueless some parents are.

[porphyrian]

5. Kick for the underdogs. - n/t

[Sapphire Blue]

13. ..

:hi: :hug:

[blonndee]

6. K & R! nt

[Sapphire Blue]

14. Thank you, blonndee!

:hi:

[Maven]

8. K&R

[BayCityProgressive]

12. Homelessness

for anyone is a tragedy. I cannot believe that in 2007, with all the wealth this country possesses, that homelessness is even around anymore.

[porphyrian]

15. It's fucking reprehensible, ain't it? - n/t

[Maven]

19. With more and more stuff like this happening, it's no wonder:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/08/nyregion/08cnd-starrett.html?ex=1328590800&en=5f0c40f7a32cb78e&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

An investment group agreed at 3 o’clock this morning to buy Starrett City, the sprawling low- and moderate-income complex on Jamaica Bay in Brooklyn, for $1.3 billion, a price that experts say illustrates an exuberant real estate market.

The sale promises to turn into a battle royal over the escalating issue of affordable housing for poor, working-class and even middle-class New Yorkers. The deal was only hours old this morning when about 100 Starrett City tenants and organizers from Acorn, a national housing group, and two busloads of Starrett City tenants arrived at the Borough Park offices of one of the buyers, David Bisticer, in Borough Park, Brooklyn, chanting, “We love it, we need it, don’t take Starrett away.”

How long will it take for them to cut through the red tape and build some upscale development? There are almost SIX THOUSAND apartments there. Where will those people go?

[Sapphire Blue]

21. The massive epidemic of homeless is a direct result of funding cuts to Federal Housing programs...

Please read “Without Housing: Decades of Federal Housing Cutbacks, Massive Homelessness and Policy Failure: http://wraphome.org/wh_press_kit/Without_Housing_20061114.pdf


And this related thread:

Will you stand up for Human Rights for the Homeless & send this report to your Senators & Rep?: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x150969

[Sapphire Blue]

16. Thanks, Harvey Korman!

:hi:

[Maven]

20. Thank you for posting this.

:hug:

[donco6]

22. This is a REAL PROBLEM with our high school kids.

I've lost several because of this very problem. Some I've completely lost track of. It's a national disgrace.

[Sapphire Blue]

26. ^^^

:kick: