New Video Depicts the Shocking Prevalence of LGBT Homeless Youth

What happens when your parents reject your sexual orientation or gender identity? For some teens, it means the streets. A recent report highlights the shocking number of homeless youth that identify as LGBT. Of the 1.6 million homeless youth in the U.S., anywhere from 320,000 to 640,000 are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.

In other words, although LGBT youth only make up about 5% to 10% of the population, at least 20% or much as 40% of homeless youth are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, according to the new report by the Center for American Progress (CAP).

As these teens were neglected by their families and communities, so too has research about homeless youth. CAP's report, published today, provides much needed analysis, as well as a short video highlighting the emotional experiences of Nico Quintana and Sierra Webster, two formerly homeless LGBT teens.

In the video “On the Streets, Without a Safety Net” produced by Bethany Woolman, LGBT survivors of homelessness share their often-silenced stories. “Family is the first safety net for young people in this country, and the second safety net is our child welfare system and schools," Quintana said in an on-camera interview. “When none of those safety nets function properly in the case of gay and transgender homeless youth, we have a big crisis.”

Indeed, we do. We are literally leaving the most vulnerable members of the LGBT community out in the cold, in what amounts to the social safety net's systemic failure. As author of the report David Wagner explains, in schools, at charity organizations, shelters, or in the criminal justice system, LGBT homeless youth face a system that doesn’t know how, or even refuses to accommodate their needs.

Because of this, LGBT homeless youth are often exposed to additional abuse or harassment. In one common example, transgender teens may be placed in gender-specific accommodations according to their birth sex.

Homeless teens already face a litany of compounding problems: they are more likely to be victims of sexual assault and are more likely to suffer from drug abuse and mental illness. But on each account, LGBT homeless youth suffer disproportionally more: they are 3.4 times more likely to abuse illicit drugs, 3.4 times more likely to have unprotected sex, and 8.4 times more likely to attempt suicide. Although 33 percent of homeless teens have been sexually assaulted, an appalling 58 percent of LGBT homeless teens experienced sexual abuse.

Amplifying the problem is that most of the charity organizations meant to serve homeless youth are faith-based. In the fiscal year 2005, for example, religious charity organizations received $2.2 billion in competitive social service grants from the federal government, organizations that often oppose gay rights all together.

While some specifically inclusive shelters exist, they are few and far between. Even if you are able to find a shelter catering to LGBT needs, there is no guarantee that there will be room. There needs to be more federal resources for homeless youth. Additionally, absent federal nondiscrimination legislation, we should press for greater awareness of the unique needs of LGBT homeless youth.

Despite the clear moral directive, it is also far cheaper to fund a homeless shelter than a prison. With the cost of incarcerating just one juvenile hovering around $53,000 per year, investing in a stronger and more inclusive social safety net makes fiscal sense too.

Photo credit: Center for American Progress