According to research carried out by The Albert Kennedy Trust (AKT), a whopping 24 percent of homeless youth living in the United Kingdom identify as LGBTQI.
The study, which consisted of a 36-question survey distributed to 473 housing providers across England, Scotland and Wales, aimed to get a clearer picture of the experience of queer homeless youth between age 16-25.
The fact that nearly a quarter of respondents identified as LGBTQI was not the only surprising revelation.
69 percent of that 24 percent reported being forced out of their family home after being rejected due to their sexuality.
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Abuse — physical, mental and sexual — also showed up in 69 percent of responses.
Tim Sigsworth, CEO of The Albert Kennedy Trust said:
“After 25 years witnessing the rejection and abuse of LGBT youth just for being brave enough to come out to their peers and family, this report is a much-needed call to action for government, housing providers, and everyone concerned with young peoples’ wellbeing.
Making a number of specific, achievable and cost-effective recommendations we hope to help others prevent lifetimes of youth homelessness and its enduring impact on mental, physical and emotional health.”
Gay Star News reports that austerity measures have caused social services available to homeless youth in the UK to be on a steady decline, currently at their lowest level since 2009.
QJ201
It’s only a surprise to the ignorant, uninformed and lazy blog writers.
THIS STATISTIC HAS BEEN REPORTED AND UNCHANGED FOR OVER 20 YEARS IN BOTH THE USA AND UK
So a better headline would have been
“YET ANOTHER study paints crappy picture for LGBTQI youth”
tham
Isn’t the Q and the I a bit repetitive?
Tommy
@tham: LGBTQI? Seriously? I think its getting to be a bit much now. For a group of people who don’t like to be labeled people sure like to subcategorize themselves.
level75RDM
What’s wrong with I? It means Intersex. They aren’t individuals transitioning from one gender to another. They have sex characteristics of both sexes, and I can see why that might draw discrimination. How is that hard to understand?
As for questioning, many youth are still questioning. Many of those who are unsure might eventually identify as straight, but that doesn’t mean their same-sex experimentation won’t draw negative attention towards them now.
How about, rather than getting all twisted panties over letters, instead ask how it is any excuse for youth to be homeless?
jwtraveler
How much money was wasted studying something that is already known when it could have been spent to help this kids find homes, counseling, training, jobs, etc.? That’s the problem with academics. They spend a lot of time and money telling us what the problem is, but don’t bother with solutions.
level75RDM
@jwtraveler: Because governments and insurance companies won’t give you money for anything if you don’t show them, with numbers, that what you’re requesting money for actually is a problem. They’re not going to take your word for it.
level75RDM
@jwtraveler: Non-profits like homeless shelters usually only stay in operation because of government funding. Unless you expect them to provide services with donations provided solely by kind strangers…
inbama
@Tommy:
Of course it’s offensive and dehumanizing to have what used to be “pride” reduced to a letter. Gays and lesbians have gone from being a civil rights movement to some absurd navel-gazing cult where having your brain in the wrong body qualifies you to decide how everyone should speak the English language.
We aren’t even “men” anymore – just “cis people assigned male at birth.”
wpewen
In the U.S. typically these kids come from lower income backgrounds. One of the main turn-offs to me about what I see of the younger gay men these days is like somebody here said: many on Castro would not be out here thirty years ago” meaning the obliviousness on the part of lots of gay men in particular to the struggle people are going through from Reagan and years since is astounding. Poor young people who are having gender issues are simply dumped on the street while the white guys who now have their rights don’t identify at all with people who are still struggling. These young people will likely struggle all their lives through no fault of their own. While others think everything is fine.
Giancarlo85
@inbama: That is total nonsense… Hardly anyone uses that cismale label nonsense. And LGBTQI is meant to be inclusive. Nobody is telling anyone how to talk or use the English language.
vive
@wpewen: “…the white guys who now have their rights don’t identify at all with people who are still struggling.”
Exactly. The only real surprise in this story is that the blog writer think it is surprising, which basically proves your point.
Giancarlo85
@wpewen: You nailed it. LGBTQI people in working class communities are constantly neglected by the rich white crowd (who commonly associate with HRC). One of the biggest reasons I stopped supporting HRC is they only care about money and rich elitists. Not for working class Latinos and other ethnic minorities like myself.
And many LGBTQI of racial and ethnic minorities end up on the streets… while those fools drink their champagne celebrating same sex marriage in another state. Look, I’m all for same sex marriage… but I think the community needs to refocus on some bigger issues. Youth homelessness is at an all time high, especially here in Los Angeles!
vive
@Giancarlo85, exactly right.
I stopped supporting the HRC when they called me during a time I was unemployed. They asked me if I could donate $100. After I told them I didn’t have a job and things were tight, they then asked me well, could I at least donate $50 then? I hung up.
A fiend’s partner died. The HRC called and told him his dead partner would have wanted him to donate some of his money to the HRC.
jwtraveler
@level75RDM: I don’t see governments anywhere pouring out money to help homeless LGBTQXYZ youth. And insurance companies do not give anyone money. They’re in the business of taking it.
@wpewen: @Giancarlo85: I agree with you completely, but the blame is not all on rich, white men. Most of these non-white, and even poor white, kids come from families and communities that are heavily influenced by hateful, homophobic, Christian churches that essentially tell the parents to throw their gay kids away. And the deluded parents listen, unfortunately.
inbama
@Giancarlo85: Clearly, you have no idea what is going on in colleges and universities across this country.