Lgbt Youth Experience Homelessness

LGBT youth who experience homelessness must deal with a wide range of different issues that affects them in many ways. They have to deal with poor mental health, substance abuse, suicide, violence, and sexual risk behaviors because of the fact they’re homelessness ( Keuroghlian & Shtasel, 2014). About 320,000 to 400,000 LGBT youth experience homelessness every year (Tierney & Ward, 2017). While homeless, they must face more stigmatization not only for being homeless, but for being a sexual and gender minority as well (Tierney & Ward, 2017).

There are many reasons why LGBT youth end up homeless. The most common one is running away especially from families who reject them for their sexual orientation or gender identity (Keuroghlian & Shtasel, 2014). Another reason is also the fact their families force them to leave even if they prefer staying home (Keuroghlian & Shtasel, 2014). A third reason is ageing and running away from the foster care system, those who are in the system tend to experience abuse and discrimination for their sexuality or gender identity(Keuroghlian & Shtasel, 2014). LGBT youth who experience homelessness are more likely to engage in risky behaviors and utilize them as survival strategies (Tierney & Ward, 2017). Substance abuse and survival sex are a few strategies LGBT youth use to cope with their circumstances( Tierney & Ward, 2017). They use survival sex to find food, money, and at times drugs (Keuroghlian & Shtasel, 2014). Having unprotected sex is one of the highest causes to why many LGBT homeless youth end up with sexual transmitted diseases and infections like HIV (Keuroghlian & Shtasel, 2014).

While a lot of research is being conducted on homeless youth specifically LGBT youth, more needs to be done in putting the issues these adolescents are facing to rest. LGBT youth who are homeless experience an endless cycle of struggles. They have to deal with their mental health in terms of not having a support system. They have to deal with substance abuse not only to help with the pain, but to feel better about the conditions their living with and they have to use survival sex in order to make ends meet. More prevention and intervention programs are needed at putting these risk factors to rest so these adolescents wouldn’t have to trade sex to buy drugs or their first meal (Keuroghlian & Shtasel, 2014). Without more support homeless LGBT youth will continue to be considered a lost cause (Keuroghlian & Shtasel, 2014).

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