Apparently, there was a big story on MSNBC about 'the plight of the LGBTQ-homeless' (that's Lesbian, Gay, Bi-gender, Transgender). I say 'apparently,' because there were-links to the story but -no story to be found. Still, my curiousity was piqued; so I searched and foundLog In. They mention the statistic that about 40% of homeless admit to being LGBT, but they don't compare that with the general population (isn't it about 10% LGBT) So there's a disparity there (you'd expect the homeless-LGBT percentage to be about the same as the population-LGBT percentage). There's also 'the way they're treated once they're homeless'---I guess the idea is that 'everybody' trusts straight homeless, but LGBT-homeless are all 'out to get you!' So they're not afforded some of the niceties the straight homeless are offered. (There was also a story on aLog In---what for? for the topic of a different discussion somewhere but I suppose it's so that the straight homeless don't suspect that some LGBT's gonna violate them in the night).
I have a feeling that part of the difference in numbers is because many of those people are homeless BECAUSE they admitted to being gay. For example, many teens may either be kicked out of their homes when their parents find out or they run away because they're not being treated well at home (or at their current schools, etc). They may also be more willing to admit to being gay if they're homeless and it's not affecting anything. As in, some LGBT stay hidden because they're afraid they'll lose their jobs or their friends/family, etc....whereas someone who is completely homeless may not feel like they have anything to lose by coming out. So the numbers may just appear higher because there are lots of people on the other side who are lying.
I was about to make this same comment. I think there's a cause and effect where some people get disowned by their family, church and so called friends for being gay and then they have no one to turn to. If you're straight and poor, you can sometimes get help from your local church or Christian organizations, but if you're gay those organizations won't help you because they disapprove of your lifestyle. Mythman, since you live in the bible belt, do you notice a lot of homeless teens there because their parents throw them away? When I was a teen in foster care, there were a few gay runaways but Miami is pretty open minded about homosexuality and we have a very vibrant and vocal gay community. But it must be hard for gay teens in Oklahoma.
How is it that kids KNOW they're one way or the other while they're still teans? I didn't "know" I was straight until I was 23! Not that I would know whether gay kids feel this way but we have a surprisingly progressive LGBT-community in OKC. There's a big PRIDE Parade every year; I think I mentioned a Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals verdict that stated that--although homosexual marriage was BANNED from legal record by a vote of the people in 2004--such a law a is unconstitutional (I haven't read the verdict or any of its supporting votes, but I already disagree ... I would argue that 'marriage' is entirely under control of each state's own government; and that thus the way we decided to make marriage. (I think what the TCCA decided was that if the LGBTQs got married in a state where it's legak, it's their right to show up as married on the national ... forms, or something.)
George Takei posted this on Facebook today. A lot of teens are living on the streets of New York because their parents threw them away for being gay. One young guy's family told him to "Change his ways" or leave. It is definitely cause and effect. Intolerant families are causing the high rate of homeless gays & lesbians. Log In
I'm sorry; this seems like such a non-issue for me, I can't even sympathize enough to READ THE ARTICLE I mean, it seems so one-sided, so-'not even CONSIDERING how the non-gays might be right.' Saying that someone was kicked out 'because they were gay' is as full an explanation as saying they were gay 'because God said so.' About this boy you're talking about---what were 'his ways'? spending time making-out with other boys? I would expect parents to make the same demand IF HE WERE A 'SHE!' Is there a religion whose bible states that "God created a sexual preference, and molded some clay around it to form a human"? I don't think there is. In my Bible, God created man to be--not a baby-maker, not a sensual pleasure-seeker--a gardener (and THAT's what it means to be a "husband").
Sorry. I misread your original post as being compassionate towards homeless LGBTQ youth. Now upon rereading it, I see that you started this topic sarcastically and are even questioning whether the statistic is real. I also see that you think the non-gay parents are right to throw their gay children away like trash. So ,in order to have their parents' love and support, teenagers should live a lie and pretend to be attracted to the opposite sex. I think it should be illegal to throw your children away. Don't want your minor child living with you because they're gay? Fine, but you should have to pay support for them to live somewhere because they are your minor child and your responsibility. By the way, the kid who was told to "change his ways or leave" wasn't doing sexual stuff. He was trying on dresses and wigs. You would know that if you had bothered to read the article instead of being so proud of your homophobia that you bragged about having no sympathy for gays.
I bet you think Catholics WORSHIP Saints ... are you somehow getting that I "think the non-gay parents are right to throw their gay children away like trash" from the fact that such 'fooling around' TAKES ONE AWAY FROM ONE'S DUTIES IN LIFE? Where did I suggest that parents should only love their children 'as long as the children grow up to enjoy inter-gender coitus? If a child spends all his time obsessing about sleeping with others (male OR female), he is distracted from the right focus. And thus (unless I love him as a father should) he IS garbage to me. As his parent, it IS my right to 'throw him away' (I'm not saying it's GOOD-RIGHT OF ME to do such a thing, but I can choose to do so if I wish; like Abraham almost did to Isaac in the Old Testament). And what you call "Homophobia," I call 'knowledge of the FACT that--if you repeatedly see something proclaimed to be true--you will eventually BELIEVE it to be true.' Case-in-Point: the sitcom F*R*I*E*N*D*S (and others too, but F*R*I*E*N*D*S sticks out in my mind). Before F*R*I*E*N*D*S, I felt that pre-marital sex was evil. F*R*I*E*N*D*S "convinced" me that pre-marital sex is 'a natural thing that everybody does' (like using the restroom). And now I won't enjoy marital sex as much as I might if I hadn't 'fallen to temptation'
