Spreading Awareness About The Homeless 2SLGBTQIA+

Anaisha Jain
Jan 20, 2024
3 min read

Updated: Jan 20, 2024

Source: Everwell

Ever since the 1969 Stonewall Riots, the awareness surrounding th.e 2SLGBTQIA+ has spread across the world, allowing more freedom of expression and rights for members of the community. Nevertheless, even amongst such recognition and destigmatisation towards the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, 2SLGBTQIA+ account for a large percentage of the Canadian population, who are either homeless, at the risk of being homeless or in core housing need. Therefore, 2SLGBTQIA+ youth make up between 25% and 40% of homeless youth in Canada, which means that nearly 1 in 3 of every homeless person in Canada identifies as 2SLGBTQIA+.

This potentially raises the question, what is the cause of homelessness amongst the 2SLGBTQIA+ community?

One of the main underlying roots of the issue is discrimination. 2SLGBTQIA+ face discrimination initially from their family members and friends, and the second time when they try to access affordable housing. Due to the fear of encountering homophobia or transphobia, most 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals avoid shelters and services. As a result, most do not access services that can potentially get them off the streets and out of the cycle of homelessness.
A potential leaf that grows out of the roots of discrimination is substance abuse. Since members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community are greatly discriminated against by society, most of them turn to alcohol and drugs. Without a doubt, youth on the streets have a greater rate of substance use compared to those in shelters; nonetheless, there are no specialised shelters for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth in Canada, which leads to them sleeping on the streets and increasing their risk of substance use.
A branch that spreads from the leaf of substance abuse is mental health issues. Undoubtedly, 2SLGBTQIA+ homeless people face significant problems in forming their gender and sexual identity, along with dealing with social stigma and discrimination, and coping with daily hardships on the streets. This exposes 2SLGBTQIA+ youth to face a higher risk of suicide and mental health issues.

Source: mindyourmind

In order to truly create a safe environment for 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals and to ensure they are kept out of the vicious cycle of homelessness, we need to ensure that there are housing options that are 2SLGBTQIA+ friendly and are accommodating to allow them housing without any prejudice. Moreover, having affordable housing options is essential to ensure that 2SLGBTQIA+ can easily accommodate, without any economic disparities. Furthermore, raising awareness surrounding the hardships and experiences homeless 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals face, and promoting awareness plays a crucial role in acceptance and awareness around the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Lastly, allowing accessible mental health services helps provide critical support to address the everlasting impact of discrimination and prejudice from society. It is also a crucial step in ensuring prevention of 2SLGBTQIA+ homelessness.

The homelessness crisis amongst the 2SLGBTQIA+ people in Canada requires immediate attention and specific actions. By recognising and addressing the community's particular difficulties, politicians, service providers, and communities may collaborate to build a more inclusive and equitable society in which everyone, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, has a place to call home. Since at the end of the day, ‘All young people, regardless of sexual orientation or identity, deserve a safe and supportive environment in which to achieve their full potential’, by Harvey Milk.

Citations:

Elver, David. 15th June, 2022. 2SLGBTQIA+ Housing Needs and Challenges. Cmhc-schl. https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/blog/2022/2slgbtqia-housing-needs-challenges#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20most%20recent,of%20homeless%20youth%20in%20Canada.

Abramovich, Ilona Alex. No Safe Place to Go, LGBTQ Youth Homelessness in Canada: Reviewing the Literature. Canadian Journal of Family and Youth, 4(1), 2012, pp 29-51. ISSN 1718-9748. https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/cjfy/index.php/cjfy/article/download/16579/13220