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Kicked out for Coming out: An Introduction to the Lived Experience of LGBT Homelessness

According to the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness (2012), “homelessness describes the situation of an individual, family or community without stable, permanent, appropriate housing” (p. 1) and is the outcome of various intersecting factors. In North America, there has been an increasing focus on the issue of homelessness in LGBTTQQIAAP+2S (abbreviated as LGBT) populations, as research shows that there is an over-representation of LGBT youth in the homeless population (Abramovich & Shelton, 2017). 

For these individuals, gender identity and sexual orientation have significant impacts on the lived experience of homelessness. Many LGBT individuals already face a wide range of challenges, barriers, and mistreatments in society due to their unique but stigmatized identities. It is important to recognize that these issues may permeate into the experience of homelessness and significantly disadvantage LGBT individuals from the rest of the population, namely folks identifying as cis-gendered and heterosexual. 

In my blog, I will be exploring and briefly comparing the lived experience of homelessness in LGBT individuals versus that of non-LGBT individuals. However, it is important to note that I am not accounting for other intersecting factors and am solely addressing differences in experience related to sexual and gender identity. 

The overall purpose of the blog is to reveal the unique physical, environmental, and social complexities that LGBT individuals face when living with homelessness, and to gain a better understanding of how these issues may differ from other populations. I want to educate others on how these unique issues may make a life of homelessness harder for LGBT individuals, and how these issues may hinder or prevent their social and economic mobility out of homelessness. 

Thus, I believe that the lived experience of homeless LGBT individuals is different than the lived experience of homeless non-LGBT individuals in many ways. 

These differences pertain to issues related to: 

perceptions of homelessness; 

homophobia and transphobia; 

systemic barriers; 

invisibility; 

victimization; 

and health.

Before scrolling down, consider the following questions: 

What do you think are the differences in lived experience between LGBT homeless individuals and non-LGBT homeless individuals? 

Do you think there is a difference at all? 

What is your experience with homelessness? 

I’d love to hear more about your experiences! Send me a DM and I’ll reply to your comments! 

A nice video to introduce the experiences of LGBT individuals living with homelessness:

References 

Abramovich, A., & Shelton, J. (Ed.). (2017). Where Am I Going to Go? Intersectional Approaches to Ending LGBTQ2S Youth Homelessness in Canada & the U.S. (pp. 115-130). Toronto: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press.

Canadian Observatory on Homelessness. (2012.) Canadian definition of homelessness. Toronto: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press. Retrieved from: www.homelesshub.ca/homelessdefinition

Canadian Observatory on Homelessness. (2017). Homeless LGBTQ2 youth in Toronto [Infographic]. Retrieved from: http://www.homelesshub.ca/sites/default/files/LGBTQyouthintoronto-Infographic-02.png

Heimer, J. (2016, March 10). [Rainbow person walking] [Digital image]. Retrieved from: https://isthmus.com/downloads/37658/download/Cover-LGBT-Homelessness-crJamesHeimer-03102016.jpg?cb=f738f4b05936eb6b24dea850477189e8

Nguyen, A. (2014, November 2014). [Rainbow bridge] [Digital image]. Retrieved from: https://socialworklicensemap.com/build-awareness-support-for-lgbt-homeless-youth/

Sánchez, C. & Morrison, K. (2011, October 27). Kicked Out: LGBT Youth Experience Homelessness [video file]. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUhqodigPFk 

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It’s home, but it ain’t home, if you know what I mean

(Jason as cited in Tunåker, 2015)

References

Hollick, L. (April 20). [The rainbow house] [Digital image]. Retrieved from: https://i.cbc.ca/1.4073682.1492524630!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_620/rainbow-house-3.jpg

Tunåker, C. (2015). No place like home?: Locating homeless LGBT youth. Home Cultures, 12(2), 241-259. doi:10.1080/17406315.2015.1046300

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Home not-so-sweet home: LGBT Perceptions of “Home” and “Homelessness”

Queer-identifying homeless individuals have complex perceptions and interpretations of the meaning of homelessness. 

For these individuals, the construction of concepts related to homelessness are intricate and sometimes unclear for the youth themselves. In a narrative study on the specific experiences of home and homelessness in young LGBT+ individuals living in projects, Tunåker (2015) found that the ideas of home and house are “a source of confusion and precariousness” for these folks (p. 254). The following excerpt from Tunåker (2015) summarizes this:

“The young people residing in homelessness projects go through a phase of ‘liminality’, where friendships can become the new family through a sense of ‘communitas’… the residents… are ‘in betwixt and in between’ worlds, they are invisible, hidden from site. Their understanding of ‘home’ and ‘homelessness’ is tied up with notions of family, identity, and belonging, which for the homeless LGBT youth appear even more complex and intricate.” (p. 253)

Specifically, Tunåker (2015) notes that their ideas of being “homeless” is attributed to the notion of living in a space outside of the norms constructed by a heteronormative society, rather than the notion of lack a physical place to reside in. 

By utilizing these findings to further understand my experiences of LGBT youth experiencing homelessness, I have noticed that the lived experience for this group extends beyond a physical level of satisfaction with housing conditions. Rather, homelessness may encompass various other facets of life related to their identity and circumstances that may not be readily evident or existent in those who identify as heterosexual. These findings suggest that sexual and gender identity play a large role in constructing and shaping experiences of homelessness, in particular to views of the home. For these individuals, home is a feeling of safety, and intrinsically rooted in relationships with others. I realize that their unique conceptualization of home and homelessness may add another level of stress and frustration to their lives as they struggle to fit into the wider social sphere where they struggle to build relationships with others due to a fear of judgement. 

With LGBT individuals already struggling to find a sense of inclusion in the community, as well as struggles with social connectivity with peers and family members, the experience of homeless individuals may impact them emotionally and mentally differently than their counterparts. Thus, it is important to recognize that intersecting factors, namely sexual identity and sexual orientation, that create a muti-faceted experience of home and homelessness for LGBT individuals.

References 

Hollick, L. (April 20). [The rainbow house] [Digital image]. Retrieved from: https://i.cbc.ca/1.4073682.1492524630!/fileImage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/original_620/rainbow-house-3.jpg

Reykjavik, K. (2015, September 9). [Rainbow house] [Digital image]. Retrieved from: https://media.cntraveler.com/photos/55f06850cdd1761348be09f7/master/pass/kiki-bar-reykjavik.jpg

Shullaw, E. (2015, March 5). [Hands touching over rainbow] [Digital image]. Retrieved from: https://badgerherald.com/media/2015/03/outreach-cover-copy-433x470.jpg

Tunåker, C. (2015). No place like home?: Locating homeless LGBT youth. Home Cultures, 12(2), 241-259. doi:10.1080/17406315.2015.1046300

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Lived Experiences of Homophobia and Transphobia

Homophobia and transphobia are harmful social issues that are unique to the lived experiences of queer-identifying individuals. 

Most often than not, homophobia and transphobia will lead to discrimination and oppression based on sexual and/or gender identity, which may permeate into societal structures, policies, and institutions. This has negative implications on the homeless LGBT youth population who wish to seek services. LGBT youth experiencing homelessness, especially those living in shelter systems, are particularly vulnerable. In a study exploring the lived experiences of LGBT youth living in shelters, it was found staff would often display overt forms of homophobia and transphobia, and ignore homophobic or transphobic incidents directed at LGBT youth (Abramovich, 2017). 

I believe that this will have negative implications on the relationship between LGBT youth and service providers. Staff in shelters and other service providers have the potential to be a source of support and social connection to LGBT youth. However, staff homophobia and transphobia may hinder youth from building trusting relationships that may be helpful for fostering a strong supportive network. I can imagine that youth will build a sense of mistrust towards professionals and will be less likely to share their experiences and concerns with them. So, LGBT youth may suffer more mental health and emotional issues as a consequence. The lack of supports would also influence youth into engaging in negative coping strategies to deal with this lack of support, which may further lead to an unhealthy state of mind.  

Because of this these discriminatory experiences, homeless LGBT youth often express feelings of fear when living in shelters and describe them as dangerous places (Abramovich, 2017). Many express feeling safer living on the streets than in shelters (Abramovich, 2017). This is problematic because youth may be prone to different risks on the streets. For example, homeless LGBT youth may encounter more dangers on the streets due to violence related to homophobia and transphobia (Dunne et al, 2000 as cited in Abramovich, 2012). 

Through these findings, I am recognizing that homeless LGBT youth will face homophobia and transphobia wherever they may go, so long as society continues to maintain a heteronormative and heterosexist standpoint. For heterosexual individuals, they do not worry about having to face gender and sexual identity-based violence and discrimination, but may face other forms of discrimination based on other defining factors. Nonetheless, LGBT individuals will find it more difficult to find a safe space and feel belonged. I find it interesting that these youths would rather find safety on the streets, when I personally think that it would be more dangerous due to environmental risks such as exposure to pollution and unsanitary conditions. The fact that youth feel this way has made realize that the institutionalized oppression and marginalization in the shelter system are significant barriers preventing youth from accessing a truly safe space. This is an issue because safe spaces are necessary for fostering an inclusive and nonjudgmental environment where this group can thrive; without this space, youth may be more susceptible other risks. 

From these negative experiences, they may develop cognitive schemas that label all services as acting against them, rather than for them. This distrust towards the shelter system may extend to a general feeling of distrust to existing and new services implemented in the community, thereby affecting youths’ decision to access these services. Thus, the existence of homophobia and transphobia in our society causes significantly different experiences of homelessness for LGBT folks and non-LGBT folks.

Thank you for reading! Please share this post to raise more awareness about homophobia and transphobia in shelter systems! 

To read more about first-hand accounts of these experiences, click the links below: 

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/08/12/torontos_homeless_gay_youth_frequently_face_abuse_in_shelters_study.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjQBzfLA9MA 

For those who would learn about how to fight against homophobia and transphobia, here are some useful links: 

https://safezone.uncc.edu/allies/homophobia

http://homelesshub.ca/resource/creating-safe-and-supportive-learning-environments-guide-working-lesbian-gay-bisexual

References

Abramovich, A. (2012). No safe place to go - LGBTQ youth homelessness in Canada: Reviewing the literature. Canadian Journal of Family and Youth, 4(1), 29-51. Retrieved from: http://homelesshub.ca/resource/no-safe-place-go-lgbtq-youth-homelessness-canada-reviewing-literature

Abramovich, A. (2017). Understanding how policy and culture create oppressive conditions for LGBTQ2S youth in the shelter system. Journal of Homosexuality, 64(11), 1484-18. doi:10.1080/00918369.2016.1244449

BBC. [Fist punching rainbow] [Digital image]. Retrieved from: https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/640xn/p023hr6g.jpg

European Commission (n.d.). [Rainbow umbrellas] [Digital image]. Retrieved from: http://ec.europa.eu/justice/fundamental-rights/media/photos/homophobia.jpg

Sanmartin, E. D. (2017, August 25). [Women putting up flag] [Digital image]. Retrieved from: http://www.unhcr.org/thumb1/598c68c43.jpg

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Exploring the Implications of Discriminatory Rules and Policies

There are several systemic issues that have disproportionately disadvantaged LGBT homeless youth. 

Often, rules, regulations, policies, and standards may be created with an underlying heteronormative influence, as our society has been historically constructed through this attitude. Thus, heterosexual individuals may not be impacted by these issues, as they pertain to a failure in recognizing minority sexual and gender identities. So, institutional policies often lead to further oppression, marginalization, and exclusion of homeless LGBT youth (Abramovich, 2016). These issues are particularly prominent in the shelter system where there is a “systemic enactment of homophobia [and] transphobia [that is] rampant and normalized in shelters” (Abramovich, 2017, p. 1490). 

Abramovich (2017) argues that certain rules and policies in shelters continue to perpetuate homophobia and transphobia, which may cause LGBT youth to experience disjunctures. Often, rules are established in the past and thus are outdated, but they still go unquestioned by shelter members (Abramovich, 2017). For example, shelters that were once faith-based continue to uphold homophobic rules, which often go unchallenged for a long time (Abramovich, 2017), thereby sustaining the heterosexist attitudes in these systems. Consequently, these rules and policies are discriminatory which creates barriers and challenges in the system for those who may not fit within societal norms, namely LGBT youth (Abramovich, 2017). 

Personally, I find this quite problematic as LGBT youth are already limited to a small number of safe spaces in the community where they feel that they can thrive and find supports. While certain groups of heterosexual individuals may find physical protection through shelters, LGBT youth may not have the privilege of being able to utilize these services due to systemic issues and barriers that perpetuate oppression and marginalization. So, it is important for policy makers and related individuals to re-evaluate and revise these unattended rules and regulations in society that may continue to disadvantage this community. In essence, the sexual and/or gender identify of an individual may act as a barrier to accessing and fully utilizing services due to institutional heteronormativity and other related systemic issues. So, the experiences of LGBT homeless youth will inevitably be different than those of their non-LGBT peers.

References

Abramovich, A. (2016). Preventing, reducing and ending LGBTQ2S youth homelessness: The need for targeted strategies. Social Inclusion, 4(4), 86-96. doi:10.17645/si.v4i4.669

Abramovich, A. (2017). Understanding how policy and culture create oppressive conditions for LGBTQ2S youth in the shelter system. Journal of Homosexuality, 64(11), 1484-18. doi:10.1080/00918369.2016.1244449

Allen, S. (2017, November 1). [Law and rainbow] [Digital image]. Retrieved from: https://img.thedailybeast.com/image/upload/v1509528330/171101-allen-lgbtq-hero_u8amto.jpg

Boehnlein, M. (2017, March 9). [LGBT flag on buildings] [Digital image]. Retrieved from: https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/50/950d073a-0475-11e7-a8cc-83eb8d5a490c/58c0c74ecba57.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C856

Kranz, K. (2012, September 24). [Challenges ahead sign] [Digital image]. Retrieved from: http://myfertilitychoices.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Barriers-to-LGBTQ-Parenting-e1348467432735.jpg

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Unseen, Unheard, and Unspoken of: Exploring LGBT Experiences of Invisibility and Institutional Erasure

Homeless LGBT youth face invisibility and institutional erasure, which is not experienced by heterosexual individuals. 

First, LGBT individuals often face legislative invisibility, which occurs when certain groups are not addressed in laws, rules, regulations, or policies (Page, 2017). So, these groups may not be able to benefit from these legislatures when everyone should be able to (Page, 2017). Legislative invisibility is often a result of the implementation of policies that are too general and do not adequately account for the nuances or intersecting factors of individuals (Page, 2017). In this case, it is gender and sexual identity. As a result, rules that are meant to help everyone may make it more difficult for LGBT to be recognized or to seek help. 

Additionally, LGBT populations may be rendered invisible by society through institutional erasure, which has a particularly significant effect on individuals who are non-gender conforming (Abramovich, 2017). Institutional erasure comes in many forms and can occur at multiple levels in various places. For example, institutional forms and surveys may ask questions based on the assumption that everyone identifies within society’s set gender binary (Abramovich, 2016). Hence, those who do not identify within this binary are not documented or included (Abramovich, 2016). 

Personally, I believe that invisibility associated with legislature invisibility and institutional erasure may have particular implications on LGBT individuals. First, LGBT groups may be factually underrepresented in the populations, which may lead to actual feelings of invisibility. This may result in general feelings of not belonging in the community or feelings of rejection, which would further isolate LGBT individuals. Secondly, due to this underrepresentation, the needs of these individuals may be inadequately addressed due to a lack of information and education surrounding LGBT populations. Third, invisibility of LGBT individuals may only exacerbate the issue of erasure itself as there would be no recognition of LGBT individuals and their unique experiences, needs, and challenges. It is important to consider that the lived experiences of LGBT homeless individuals are unique, and individuals must account for these intersecting factors when creating and implementing policies and services.

How can healthcare professionals, like me, provide better, more appropriate care for these populations? Click here to find out: http://www.lgbthealtheducation.org/wp-content/uploads/Module-1-Ending-Invisibility.pdf 

What do you think about these issues? Do you think institutional erasure and invisibility exist, or is this just a myth? DM me!!! 

References

Abramovich, A. (2016). Preventing, reducing and ending LGBTQ2S youth homelessness: The need for targeted strategies. Social Inclusion, 4(4), 86-96. doi:10.17645/si.v4i4.669

Abramovich, A. (2017). Understanding how policy and culture create oppressive conditions for LGBTQ2S youth in the shelter system. Journal of Homosexuality, 64(11), 1484-18. doi:10.1080/00918369.2016.1244449

Australian Red Cross. (n.d.). [Blank legislation] [Digital image]. Retrieved from: http://redcross.e3learning.com.au/content/sfademo/topic2/page7/196902.jpg

Huls, A. (2014, July 22). [Blank book cover][Digital image]. Retrieved from: https://www2.shutterstock.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2014/07/img39.jpg

Page, M. (2017). Forgotten youth: Homeless LGBT youth of color and the runaway and homeless youth act. Northwestern Journal of Law and Social Policy, 12(2), 17.

[Hand reaching a flag] [Digital image]. Retrieved from: https://ionecassius.files.wordpress.com/2017/05/14375026753186.jpg?quality=80&strip=all&w=1024&strip=all

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LGBT Individuals, Homelessness, and Victimization

Queer-identifying homeless individuals will have different experiences of victimization. 

Specifically, homeless LGBT youth face an increased amount of victimization. According to Cochran, Stewart, Ginzler, & Cauce (2002), LGBT homeless youth frequently experience greater amounts of both physical and sexual victimization than heterosexual homeless youth. In an article examining the victimization of LGBT youth living on the streets, Ventimiglia (2012) notes that LGBT homeless youth are exposed to more violent crimes, such as robbery and assault, compared to non-LGBT individuals. All of this is likely due to “social exclusion and a lack of social capital” (Ventimiglia, 2012, p. 442) and “bias and inequality embedded within cultural and government systems” (Ventimiglia, 2012, p. 443).

When I think about the impacts of victimization on LGBT youth homelessness, I can only imagine how their exposure to crime and harm may lead to detrimental impacts for the future. These victimization experiences can be major sources of trauma, especially in a population that is already marginalized and has an increased vulnerability to disturbances in healthy development and growth. I would imagine that victimization is particularly problematic as it will lead to current or future negative health outcomes that may not only affect their overall quality of life, but also their ability to mobilize out of homelessness. I feel that victimization would only further push these LGBT youths into marginalization and isolation, where they feel a great sense of rejection by society, and find it challenging to adequately cope with the realities of street-life. They may even turn to suicide as an escape from these realities, rather than seeking services that may potentially help them establish a healthy life.

LGBT homeless youth are also particularly susceptible to hate crimes (Woods, 2017), which are offences targeted at a group based on a specific characteristic (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2012). One main reason I believe that homeless LGBT youth are more susceptible to hate crimes is due to their intersecting characteristics. In this case, it is their status as homeless individuals, as well as sexual orientation and/or gender identity. This has negative implications, particularly in the youth population, as they are an especially vulnerable population that may lack the supports necessary to safeguard against hate crimes. Factors including the absence of a supportive network, a lack of safe spaces in the community, and systemic barriers and discrimination may make these youths even more susceptible. However, I feel the ultimate change needs to occur in the very norms that society has constructed. I feel that it is important to alter the heteronormative and heterosexist viewpoints of society through education and social marketing. I recognize that change will inevitably come slowly, but it is crucial to start challenging gender norms now or else future individuals may face the same consequences.  

Thus, it is important to recognize that victimization is a prominent reality for LGBT individuals and is experienced differently in this group than the heterosexual population.

Thanks for reading!!! To raise more awareness about this issue, share this post~!

If you want to learn more about victimization, read this: http://homelesshub.ca/about-homelessness/legal-justice-issues/trauma-and-victimization

References

Cardiff University. (2015, July 2). [LGBT hate crime. Recognise it. Report it.][Digital image]. Retrieved from: https://blogs.cardiff.ac.uk/studentlifecu/wp-content/uploads/sites/318/2015/07/LGBTHateCrimeSocialMedia1.jpg

Cochran, B. N., Stewart, A. J., Ginzler, J. A., & Cauce, A. M. (2002). Challenges faced by homeless sexual minorities: Comparison of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender homeless adolescents with their heterosexual counterparts. American Journal of Public Health, 92(5), 773-777. doi:10.2105/AJPH.92.5.773

Curt. (2010, June 9). [White victim] [Digital image]. Retrieved from: https://tgem.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/victim.jpg

National Coalition for the Homeless. (2012). Hate crimes against the homeless: The brutality of violence unveiled. National Coalition for the Homeless. Retrieved from: http://nationalhomeless.org/publications/hatecrimes/hatecrimes2011.pdf

Revel & Riot (2011, July 13). [Blood on LGBT flag] [Digital image]. Retrieved from: http://www.revelandriot.com/images/violence-against-gays.jpg

Ventimiglia, N. (2012). LGBT selective victimization: Unprotected youth on the streets. Journal of Law in Society, 13(2), 439.

Woods, J. B. (2017). LGBT identity and crime. California Law Review, 105(3), 667.

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Differences in Health Consequences

It is true that individuals living in poverty often face a plethora of health issues (Lightman, E. S., Mitchell, A., Wilson, B., & Wellesley Institute, 2008); however, queer identifying homeless individuals experience different holistic health consequences than heterosexual individuals would. Most notably, mental health issues seem to be quite prevalent in this population. According to a study comparing the health of homeless LGBT and non-LGBT adolescents, it was found that homeless LGBT youth experience significantly “higher rates of psychopathology” (Cochran, Stewart, Ginzler, & Cauce, 2002, p.773). Specifically, LGBT youths described significantly greater amounts of depressive symptoms than heterosexual youth (Cochran et al., 2002). Mental health issues may be attributed to a lack of social supports that can help facilitate the expression of feelings and worries, and a subsequent adoption of negative coping strategies that may further impair normal mental and emotional functioning. More notably, mental health issues may arise due to the increased susceptibility to traumatic experiences associated with societal homophobia and transphobia, as well as victimization. As a nursing student, I also noticed that these health issues may have greater implications for the healthcare sector. That is, it is important for the healthcare sector to adapt to the growing needs of LGBT youth and provide information and services that are accessible and appropriate to this community. It is also important to eliminate heteronormative and heterosexist attitudes in the healthcare setting in order to provide respectful and nonjudgmental services crucial to meeting the complex and holistic needs of LGBT individuals.

Moreover, certain subpopulations of this community will experience a greater susceptibility to or occurrence of specific health issues than their heterosexual, cis-gendered counterparts. According to a U.S. study conducted to evaluate the health of sexual and gender minorities experiencing homelessness, it was found that cisgender sexual minority individuals identifying as queer or “other” experienced more mental and physical health issues than heterosexual folks (Flentje, Leon, Carrico, Zheng, & Dilley, 2016). The depth and breadth of research surrounding homeless individuals who identify as “other” (i.e. TQQIAAP+2S) is severely limited; thus, I am left wondering why these individuals may experience more health issues than their LGBT and heterosexual counterparts. Perhaps these health issues stem from a lack of access to appropriate and relevant health information that is necessary for meeting the needs of this subpopulation. Further, it is possible that this subpopulation experiences disproportionately greater levels of institutional erasure due to their identities being relegated to the “other” category on forms and other mediums. This may increase feelings of not belonging in the general community, which may increase their susceptibility to mental illness. Thus, the health consequences and health needs of the LGBT homeless population are different than that of non-LGBT populations.

Thanks for reading! Here are some useful resources that may be helpful for health care professionals when working with LGBT individuals:

http://homelesshub.ca/resource/toolkit-practitionersresearchers-working-lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender-and 

http://lgbtq2stoolkit.learningcommunity.ca/ 

What do you think of this issue? DM me at let me know!

References

American Heart Association News (2015, June 26). [People holding heart] [Digital image]. Retrieved from: http://news.heart.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/LGBT.jpg

American Psychiatric Association. (2016). Mental health and diverse populations at-a-glance [Infographic]. Retrieved from: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/32/80/43/3280437ee4ee7978583c55126baa11a7--mental-health-awareness-group-work.jpg

Cochran, B. N., Stewart, A. J., Ginzler, J. A., & Cauce, A. M. (2002). Challenges faced by homeless sexual minorities: Comparison of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender homeless adolescents with their heterosexual counterparts. American Journal of Public Health, 92(5), 773-777. doi:10.2105/AJPH.92.5.773

Flentje, A., Leon, A., Carrico, A., Zheng, D., & Dilley, J. (2016). Mental and physical health among homeless sexual and gender minorities in a major urban US city. Journal of Urban Health, 93(6), 997-1009. doi:10.1007/s11524-016-0084-3

GLMA Nursing. (2017 May). [Rainbow image with nurse and heart] [Digital image]. Retrieved from: https://nalhe.files.wordpress.com/2017/05/lgbt_health_equity_image2.png

Lightman, E. S., Mitchell, A., Wilson, B., & Wellesley Institute. (2008). Poverty is making us sick: A comprehensive survey of income and health in Canada. Toronto, ON: Wellesley Institute.

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Conclusion & Recommendations for the Future

In general, I believe that the experiences of homelessness for LGBT individuals are significantly different than those who identify as cis-gendered and heterosexual. This is attributed to a variety of reasons. In summary, these differences are related to:

the conceptualization of home and homelessness,

experiences with homophobia and transphobia, 

discriminatory rules and policies, 

susceptibility to invisibility, 

vulnerability to victimization, 

and holistic health problems. 

Before moving on, I want to first point out that I am not trying to discount the lived experience of gender and sexual minorities. Rather, I am trying to shed light on the unique issues that LGBT people may face, and want to highlight the importance and need for strategies take into consideration these intersecting factors. Overall, I firmly believe that sexual and gender identity lead to a more complex experience of homelessness. 

In terms of targeted interventions, it is important to use an intersectionality approach to examine the lived experience of homeless individuals, as sexual orientation and gender identity are crucial factors that cause great differences in lived experience. Moreover, I believe that there should be a general revision of the policies in our government and shelter systems that neglect this population, and a need to create new non-oppressive standards that improve the overall lifestyles of LGBT homeless individuals. There is a particular emphasis to develop targeted interventions that meet these needs. Strengthening family and kin relationships (Cohen, Colin, Johnson, Cali, & Montelongo, 2017) may be important for helping youth to build a supportive network that can safeguard aforementioned health issues, safeguard against victimization, and lead to increased feelings of belonging and visibility. Strengthening systems and institutions (Cohen et al., 2017) could be valuable for fixing the aforementioned rules and policies that discriminate against LGBT individuals, and to foster a system that respects the sexual and gender identities of individuals. Overall, the most important piece of information that you should take away from this blog is that the experiences of LGBT individuals is different and is important to recognize in order to develop a space that can facilitate health living and mobilization out of homelessness.

You did it! You made it to the end! I hope you learned a bit more about the experiences of LGBT homeless individuals, and the particular risks and barriers they face. 

I want to hear your thoughts! DM me and let me know!

How have your perceptions of LGBT homelessness changed? 

Do you agree with my points? Have you had experience with any of these issues? 

What do you think you can do to help combat homelessness for LGBT individuals? 

Also, keep re-posting! Raising awareness is the first step towards change! 

To read more about how Toronto is currently striving to better the conditions for LGBT youth, click the links below: 

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/01/13/unveiling-a-safe-haven-for-lgbtq-youth.html

https://torontoist.com/2016/04/second-toronto-lgbtq-transitional-home-to-open-in-2017/

References 

Addiction Blog. (2017, February 25). [Rainbow people] [Digital image]. Retrieved from: http://images.addictionblog.org/cherrycake/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Addiction-risk-factors-in-the-LGBT-community-2.jpg

Cohen, L., Colin, M., Johnson, R., Cali, K., & Montelongo, M. (2017). The youth homelessness cris and a path to end it: Interventions to better serve LGBTQ2S youth experiencing homelessness In Abramovich, A., & Shelton, J. (Ed.). (2017). Where Am I Going to Go? Intersectional Approaches to Ending LGBTQ2S Youth Homelessness in Canada & the U.S. (pp. 115-130). Toronto: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press.

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[People living on the streets] [Digital image]. Retrieved from: http://southfloridagaynews.com/images/stories/Clip-Art/homeless.jpg [homeless]