LGBTQAI+ Society Being Homeless Because Their Families Kicked Them Out
Being gay in today’s current times is harder because the hatred and malice towards people of the LGBTQAI+ community are more evident than ever. Now for some, it’s not just happening on the streets they walked or the halls they learned in but from home which is supposed to be a safe haven. The fear of being outed or your guardians finding out you are gay is something that actively scares people in the community. The thought of being kicked out or having the people who raised you now look at you differently is something no one should have to go through. Unfortunately, most of, if not a large portion of the LGBTQAI+ community is affected or experiences homelessness. These are people who had a whole life planned ahead for them that now have to fight and worry about how they will eat tonight, where they will sleep, and are unsure of their next day. These are our future doctors, lawyers, nurses, authors, artists being thrown out due to their sexuality. That potion isn’t put to the best use that it could be and at these points, they could go missing like a flame. Why? Because society still isn’t used to the idea of people liking others of the same gender as them, or people making themselves who they truly are regardless of what a doctor said at birth or if they choose to not be anything to not be labeled.
The recent homelessness due to higher levels of members of the LGBTQAI+ community getting kicked out is becoming outrageous not to say it wasn't before. Let it be adults or adolescents being kicked out, they are being forced to leave home before they even have a chance to fully get their life together or fully get control over it. Not to mention that now that they are on the street unprotected there's a chance they can be assaulted or have something horrible happen to them. With the fact that we are also in a pandemic it's harder for shelters to take in more people because of the rules and protocols they have to follow. It's also harder for someone who's homeless to try and avoid Covid and its new variants.
Now there are ways that you can help during these situations. These aren’t only helpful for people in the LGBTQ+ but for anyone who's homeless. Offering a place for them to stay or just a room till they can get themselves back on their feet is a big help. It's hard establishing yourself and trying to get further in life when you are stuck in a hard current situation. By helping them you've become a good steppingstone to them getting back to their best purpose in life for themselves. Another way you can help is similar to the first is by helping them establish themselves. Let it be putting in a good word for them at a job or allowing them to help you and you spy on them a good decent amount and not mistreating them also helps. Most jobs won't hire you without an address or if they believe you have nowhere to reside so if you can help by being a reference for them that's reliable it helps. Third is simply bringing stuff to homeless shelters so they have more access to resources because it was already becoming scarce before the pandemic but now the rations are beginning to get smaller. The fourth one is also just asking what they need help with at the current moment. Don't assume everyone needs the same things or wants the same things for that matter. Also simply being a listening ear for them helps so it doesn't matter if their youth, teens, or adults or going through this at any age is hard.
With all this being said I'm asking that you are never out a friend or family member because it may not seem big or important to you but you may be potentially putting their life at stake. This is coming from a lesbian writer who’s been on the brick of it too. I know the fear that comes along with it. Be kind.
Until next time, Niah (They/she)
