LaDarius Doaks

Professor Reed

Composition I

Fall 2015

Informational Report

According to the U.S. Census in 2014, the population of America is 318.9 million total. 35% of

that total are homeless people. 40% of homeless Americans identify as a part of the LGBT

(Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) community. 68% of them were kicked out due their

sexual orientation and/or gender identity. The LGBT youth are homeless for multiple reasons

such as family religion, abuse happening to them due to their lifestyle, and running away. The

Second National Incidence Study of Missing Abducted, Runaway and Throwaway Children

determined that 1.7 million LGBT youth experienced at least one episode of homelessness each

year.

Recently, the LGBT have just been granted the right to marry, meaning same sex marriage is

legal all over the country now. The grass is not always greener on the other side. The rate of

homeless homosexuals and gender identifiers keeps quietly growing. To determine the accurate

amount is difficult to calculate. LGBT youth are often afraid to enter into regular services or

shelters or they don’t know and don’t have the information for the LGBT friendly ones built for

them, making the count difficult to come up with.

LGBT homelessness is a big issue because of the age range. LGBT youth are coming out

younger in today’s modern world. In 2008, it was surveyed that the “come out” age was 18-22.

Due to the openness in the world today the youth are comfortable talking about this subject with

their parents so much younger. This is not necessarily a good thing. With a LGBT youth being

that young the rebellion factor will be higher. If not, then the depression will. Either way, the

chances of the youth living a regular life after they come out is slim to none. The parents don’t

sometimes agree. This type of rejection leads the youth to desperate measures for attention and

support.

Parents abandon their LGBT youth every day. “God didn’t want it to be this way” is a common

response in a religious household when a child comes out. Religious parents usually kick out

their child due to shame, anger, and confusion. In Boise, Idaho, Jackie is a lesbian college

student. She found the perfect girl for her and she decided to come out to her mother. She was

ready to take things serious with her significant other. She called her mother and told her. Her

mother’s response was: “I don’t know what we could have done for God to have given us a fag

as a child”. Then she hung up. Tragic.

LGBT homelessness is important. The initial cause of them being out of home is because of their

sexual orientation and/or identity. This certain population of homelessness is focused more on

because it can be stopped. Keeping LGBT youth who were thrown out on the street in a stable

service or shelter will decrease the rate of homelessness in America. LGBT youth are all

throughout the foster care system. With the issues of homophobia and heterosexism, it’s not safe
in a lot of places for members of the LGBT community.

New York has the highest percentage of homeless LGBT youth. The ages range from 12 to 17

years. That is not including gender identifiers. Washington is next in line followed by California,

Illinois, Colorado, Minnesota, and Kansas. Along the coasts, both East and West, the LGBT

youth are more accepted. These places have greater legal protection and programs to better the

LGBT homeless community.