asherdashery

July 7, 2013

anarcho-queer:
“ middlemarching:
“ anarcho-queer:
“ While the head honchos at the HRC are making 6 figure salaries from donations to support ‘marriage equality’, hundreds of thousands of LGBTQ youth are homeless and are purposely ignored by...

middlemarching:
anarcho-queer:
While the head honchos at the HRC are making 6 figure salaries from donations to support ‘marriage equality’, hundreds of thousands of LGBTQ youth are homeless and are purposely ignored by mainstream gay organizations. The ‘fight’ for same sex marriage has proven to be a profitable business for gay ‘non-profit’ businesses, so it’s no wonder why gay marriage overshadows all other LGBTQ issues. After all, helping the needy results in smaller pay.
Supporting gay marriage doesn’t mean you support the queer struggle. In fact, most ‘allies’ and even a large portion of more fortunate queers don’t know the facts about LGBTQ homelessness, violence against trans* people, high unemployment, discrimination, etc, nor do they bother to research it. They are just concerned about their favorite gay celebrities being able to tie the knot.
If you care about the queer struggle, take a minute of your day to familiarize yourself with some of the disturbing statistics:
20- 40% of homeless youth are LGBTQ. In comparison, the general youth population is only 3-10% LGBTQ.
LGBTQ youth are twice as likely to experience sexual abuse before the age of 12.
LGBTQ youth, once homeless, are at higher risk for victimization, mental health problems, and unsafe sexual practices. 58.7% of LGBTQ homeless youth have been sexually victimized compared to 33.4% of heterosexual homeless youth
LGBTQ youth are roughly 7.4 times more likely to experience acts of sexual violence than heterosexual homeless youth
LGBTQ homeless youth commit suicide at higher rates (62%) than heterosexual homeless youth (29%)
At least 20% of ALL transgender people will be homeless sometime in their life.
29% of transgender people reported being turned away from a homeless shelter due to their transgender status.
Please consider taking action to help combat LGBTQ homelessness. I suggest making a donation to the Ali Forney Center or volunteering at your local LGBTQ homeless shelter.
P.S. Fuck the HRC!
I will always plug GLBT Advocacy & Youth Services every time a post like this comes across my dashboard. It is a new organization but is making enormous strides in North Alabama, and also includes a host home program for youth caught in the 18/19 age gap that can financially ruin so many queer youth. (In the state of Alabama, you are not legally recognized as an adult until you are nineteen years old, meaning that if you are kicked out of your house by your parents at age eighteen, you can’t sign a lease on an apartment.)
Reblogging for the commentary and to add a list of LGBTQ homeless shelters and support services. If you know of any other states/cities/towns with LGBTQ shelters, please add on to the list with a link.
California
Chicago
Colorado
Florida
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
New York
North Carolina
Utah
Vermont
Washington
Wisconsin
Resources for Families