Homeless and on the streets
According to this piece written by Carl Siciliano, Executive Director of Ali Forney Center, last year over 500,000 youth experienced homelessness. 40% of them were LGBT. That number is staggering. Of the 500,000 on the streets, fewer than 50,000 were able to find a shelter bed.
Scores of LGBT teens have been driven from their homes by rejecting parents. That too is staggering.
“…driven from their homes by rejecting parents.” I know this is still happening and it still shocks me. As the mother of a gay son, I just don’t understand. I understand that some people have religious issues with homosexuality but what I don’t get is outright rejection. That is, kicking your child out of the house onto the street with nowhere to go. What happened to love? Did these parents not love their child before they found out they were LGBT? If they did, where did that love go? I just don’t get it.
I know I will never reach those parents. I don’t think anyone can. I’m thankful that there are parents who, while they struggle with accepting their LGBT children, don’t lose touch with their love and look for help and support in moving from confusion and maybe even despair to understanding and acceptance.
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