Lgbtq Youth Barriers

Abstract: SMY (sexual minority youth, which refers within this paper to youth who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or queer) are at risk for trauma in particularly high numbers. When SMY become homeless, their risk for exposure to trauma becomes even higher, presenting the helping professions with a population that faces unique problems in clinical settings that may seek to treat homelessness without considering minority stress and repeated exposure to trauma. We reviewed literature concerned with trauma, homelessness and SMY issues to determine which EBPs (evidence-based practices) have been deemed most helpful for this population and found very few. Our investigation into local resources available to homeless SMY was similarly discouraging. Since previous trauma and marginalized sexual orientation are the primary factors for continued risk, we can suggest that Trauma Informed Care and Gay Affirmative Cognitive Behavioral Therapy are currently our best choices. This paper will seek to explore why.

In order to change the treatment of LGBT homeless youth we need to not only change our hearts but we need to change some laws. Chris Johnson focuses on just that, he talks about the reintroduction of an outdated law and how it’s being amended to include the LGBT youths. This inclusion will prohibit discrimination at federally funded shelters and social service programs. This article supports my research because it recognizes the special needs of the LGBT youth population to be protected from discrimination by federal grantees. It shows the growth our communities have made in the past several years.

Based on the discussion from the Williams Institute, it is evident that there continues to be a prevalence of discrimination among groups that are not viewed as culturally acceptable in our county. In this article, it is reported that people are more likely to experience hate crimes based on their sexual orientations. For instance, 44% of people reported experience physical violence (without a weapon) because of their sexual orientation, and 80% had been verbally harassed (Herek, 2009). Although the Hates Crimes Statistic Law became effective in 1990, the stigma surrounding the LGBTQ community continues to affect their everyday life. It may defer a person by identified their sexual orientation for the fear of being discriminating in the workplace,

The first three sets of theory incorporated the levels, shifting levels of identities shaped by outside agencies for LGBT youth. Another social factor that impending on young sexual minorities are the threats of poverty. These threats cause LGBT youth to experience vulnerability and detriment to their identities. Corliss et al. research validates that statement. In their article, “High Burden of Homelessness Among Sexual-Minority Adolescents: Findings From a Representative, Massachusetts High School, Sample,” they review the prevalence of homelessness in LGBT and heterosexual adolescents (Corliss et al. 1683). Their findings include: 40% LGBT student in the Massachusetts

There is an inaccurate count of the number of homeless youth individuals are currently in America. They only account for those who are in the shelter’s system, which is a small portion of the total population of homeless youth. One report estimated that only one in twelve homeless youth ever come into contact with the shelter system (Somllar, 1999). The main focus is on “street youth” who are still on the streets with no home, and no adult guidance. The downfall of the system is that it is based on coming in contact with homeless youth, instead of building a rapport with them, and getting an understanding of why they leave home. The causes for the youth to become homeless are as follows; neglect, physical, sexual, and substance abuse, dysfunctional families, as well as family violence. These are often results of suicide, poor coping skills, lack of education, criminal background, and mental health problems. Homeless youth who are homosexual have been found to have a greater and more severe incidence such as depression and suicide than other homeless youth population. In one study of homeless street youth, 53 percent of homosexual adolescents had attempted suicide, compared to 32 percent of a cohort that did not differentiate individuals by sexual orientation (Somllar, 1999).

There are many ethical issues that can arise when dealing with the LGBTQ homeless youth population. Children are considered a vulnerable population and therefore receive special protections when it comes to research (Human Subject Protection Training). Additionally, LGBTQ youth are especially vulnerable due to homophobia and violence that they can experience due to their sexual orientation. Mathematica Policy Research (2014) discussed the difficulty in working with LGBTQ homeless youth due to difficulty in locating them and their hesitance to share information regarding sexual orientation for fear of harassment and concerns about disclosure. The Belmont Report requires beneficence which essentially calls for protecting participates from harm

Health and mental health, suicidal ideation, substance abuse, sexual exploitation, and victimization are listed as significant negative outcomes for homeless youth, but are significantly higher for LGBTQ homeless youth (Moskowitz, Stein, and Lightfoot, 2013; Walls & Bell, 2011). There are inherent risks in homelessness for all people, but a quantitative study by Rice et al. (2013), outlined that LGBTQ youth tend to engage in the most risky types of homelessness, such as staying with a stranger and being less likely to stay in shelter. The study further revealed that these practices place adolescents at greater risk of victimization.

A study done on youth was conducted by the Palette Fund, True Colors Fund, and the Williams Institute along with the National Runaway Switchboard and Center Link, they had a survey of service providers. In it they found the top reasons LGBTQ+ youth are homeless are because they had run away because of rejection of their sexual orientation or gender identity, they were forced out by parents, physical, emotional, or sexual abuse at home, and financial or emotional neglect from their family (page 4, Serving Our Youth). In short, they couldn’t stay home. They couldn’t stay home, yet the city is faulting them for trying to live a better life. The city is hindering their opportunities at trying to live a normal life, the cities are keeping LGBTQ+ youth in the position they are in, have been in. According to the US Department of Labor, a woman makes 78 cents for every dollar that a man makes. The pay isn’t fair, yet cities expect women to conform to a biased society. And when when the inequality puts women out on the streets, there are rules and regulations to further restrict them. Not only is government failing its citizens, we are failing each

Unfortunately, these teens are abandoned and feel unwanted beyond comprehension. Since the LGBT adolescents are coming out at younger ages, it means that more children will be forced to leave their homes and live out on the streets. There is a national shortage of facilities to house LGBT youth. LGBT teens need a safe environment were they can be themselves and feel safe and secure. Even though efforts have been made to help these teens, in order to prevent the homelessness of the LGBT teens the community, families, and schools need to create more efforts to include them and help

The issue of transsexual homelessness and health has been subjected to debate in the recent discussions that underline the paradigms of safety. The people who identify with a gender that is distinct from which is assigned to them at birth are at a greater risk for being subjected to social isolation, emotional and physical trauma, infectious disease, chemical dependency, discrimination, infectious disease, and the limited access housing, employment opportunities, as well as healthcare. Homelessness is the compounding factor to all these risks facing transsexual individuals (Rew, Whittaker, Taylor‐Seehafer Smith, 2005). A misunderstanding of gender variance has resulted in many having negative attitude towards transsexual individuals to the extent of rendering them homeless. The analysis in this paper is aligned to the issue of homeless among the transsexual persons by investigating the entire spectrum of the issue. In a general analysis the paper will highlight the extraordinary conditions that lead to transsexual individuals experiencing homelessness besides the same reasons that the other ‘normal’ individuals are rendered homeless- the inability to afford housing, addiction and mental health problems, being abused physically and being estranged by their own families (Rew, Whittaker, Taylor‐Seehafer Smith, 2005). This paper covers the issue of homelessness among transgender in the realms of the different ages, the psychological effects, and the reasons why they are

The Palette Fund, True Colors Fund, and the Williams Institute joined forces in conducting a web-based survey from October 2011 through March 2012 designed to assess the experiences of homeless youth organizations in providing services to LGBT youth. The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Homeless Youth Provider Survey also assessed the prevalence of LGBT youth within the homeless populations being served by these organizations. According to their findings, as many as 40 percent of homeless youth identify as LGBT. The most common reason found to have caused homelessness amongst LGBT youth was family rejection after coming out. The next most common reason for LGBT youth homelessness was being forced out of their homes by their family as a result of coming out. It is often difficult for parents that are just learning that their child identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender to process the news and adjust smoothly. If more parents sought guidance in how to adjust to their son or daughter coming out, then perhaps the number of homeless LGBT youth would plummet.

The youth experience traumatic experiences such as harassment, stigma from heterosexuals within the shelter, and abuse from peers/shelter staff because of their sexual orientation or gender representation. In addition, youth this makes it extremely difficult for a youth to bear with and are kicked out because of their sexual identity or voluntary leave. Because of such harassment and negative experience many LGBT youth chose to live on the streets than heterosexual homeless. LGBT youth homeless also indulge higher rates of drug use, conduct disorder, post-traumatic stress, and suicide

a favorable solution. Finally, it is crucial to identify why precisely the LBGT youth are reluctant to turn to social organizations for help, how to convince the LGBT homeless adolescents of their efficiency. The message must be stated loud and clear that introducing sufficient prevention and intervention policies can positively influence the lives of LGBT youth before and after experiencing homelessness as they should not be rendered responsible for something that hardly ever can be perceived as their flaw.

There is a tremendous amount of LGBT youth that experience homelessness in the United States, and forty percent of them identify themselves as LGBT. There are so many issues that cause homelessness in the LGBT community such as discrimination in religious communities, lack of support from families and rejection from society. But in a world where these issues are all around us, how can we solve this? It starts with every individual to just stop and maybe educate themselves on this unique youth community and the struggles they must face to bring in equality. This education can start with volunteer work, educational classes, or even support groups. The problem is the discrimination against the LGBT youth community, so many do not understand what it means to be in the LGBT individual and the obstacles they must face such as finding a job, going to school and finding a place to live, etc.

I remember as I when I was young boy I fancied a boy in my class, how could this be? What does this even mean? What have I done wrong? All the Emotions? What are these feelings? How can I change this? I was 10 years old I felt alone, scared, I didn’t know who I could talk to. It took me 3 years to fully understand that I was different and that the feelings and emotions that I had for this boy meant only one thing, I was gay. While starting secondary school I began to live a double life I was a quiet kid and I pretended to like girls so save myself from the bullying. However inside I was thinking about boys nonstop and what is felt like. I just want to be able to