Gay youth are not just bullied in schools, they are frequently made to feel unwelcome and abandoned even by their own families. Even if having not tried drugs or alcohol before, within their first week, they are known to resort to substances such as Crack Cocaine or Heroine. In order to survive, these youth have sex for meals, money, or shelter, some are even raped. All of which put them at risk for HIV infection, or physical abuse. Because of the homophobia they face, they are four times more likely than other youth to commit suicide (Cochran 775). American homeless youth/adults that identify as being LBGT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) are constantly facing discrimination proving their experiences to be less ideal compared to their heterosexual counterparts, through rejection, harassment, and being forced to conform.
“Where did we go wrong? How can you choose to live this way? No son of mine will be gay! Get out of our house! You are dead to me!” These are the most common phrases heard by gay teens when they are rejected from their families. The LGBT homeless community receive rejection from families and shelters. “According to one study, 26 percent of gay teens were kicked out of their homes, when they came out …show more content…
In general, “most homeless youth have histories of family disruption, abuse, and family substance abuse” (Buchanan 10). The common misconception that LGBT homeless youth were driven out of their homes due to non-acceptance is just a small representation of the LGBT homeless community, as there are other factors that are usually forgotten. Different situations for instance, living in an unsafe environment; drug and violent induced, or perhaps broken families, or “lack of nurturing” by the parents are just some of the reasons these youth decide to leave voluntarily (Forge 24). For some youth, they are empowered to leave their current situations as a means of protection, even if it means losing their
“Where did we go wrong? How can you choose to live this way? No son of mine will be gay! Get out of our house! You are dead to me!” These are the most common phrases heard by gay teens when they are rejected from their families. The LGBT homeless community receive rejection from families and shelters. “According to one study, 26 percent of gay teens were kicked out of their homes, when they came out …show more content…
In general, “most homeless youth have histories of family disruption, abuse, and family substance abuse” (Buchanan 10). The common misconception that LGBT homeless youth were driven out of their homes due to non-acceptance is just a small representation of the LGBT homeless community, as there are other factors that are usually forgotten. Different situations for instance, living in an unsafe environment; drug and violent induced, or perhaps broken families, or “lack of nurturing” by the parents are just some of the reasons these youth decide to leave voluntarily (Forge 24). For some youth, they are empowered to leave their current situations as a means of protection, even if it means losing their