LGBT Homelessness in America

Percentage of LGBT homeless youth.
Stand up for kids!

In today's society the number of homeless youth sits at roughly 10% nationally. In the population of LGBT youth that number jumps from 10% to between 20% and 40%. This shows that homelessness in youth is a bigger problem than most expect, especially in regards to the amount of LGBT youth. So what can we do to help?

Where are they coming from?

LGBT homelessness is an epidemic.

The problem with these youth living on the street is an even larger issue because these youth have to find new ways to survive. These youth are now being exposed to drug use, prostitution and even more criminal activity as a way to survive. 

This video shows a day in the life of LGBT youth that have been kicked out of their homes. It follows their stories from New York, Illinois and California. It shows what happens to these young people after they are forced to live on the street. This is the life that so many kids are now living. Read full speech here.

Protestors showing support

These problems continue to rise because these youth feel so un-accepted in their home lives that they are either kicked out of their homes or they feel that their lives are in danger because of the persecution they are faced with on a day to day basis that it is much easier to find a new home even if it is more dangerous than their previous places of residence. According to a survey done by the Human Rights campaign these homeless youth reported that 53% of them were verbally harassed, 17% said they were physically assaulted, 65% said they didn’t feel that their government was accepting of the LGBT community, and 74% said that their church or religious affiliations weren’t accepting of them either. Read the full story here.