Study: GLBT Youth At Much Higher Risk than Straights for Homelessness :: EDGE Philadelphia

I reported this previously, but with such a high rise in teen suicides in this country and the greater risk of abuse and homelessness for at-risk children in areas and states that have anti-gay legislation on the books (as in the Anoka-Hennepin School District in Minnesota -- which lies in the district represented by Congresswoman and anti-gay politician Michele Bachmann), it needs to be emphasized that LGBTQ children are more affected and pay a higher price from the anti-gay rhetoric of organizations, politicians, schools and administration supported bullying, teachers, and especially families who "toss them out" for being gay.

Homeless LGBTQ teens and kids receive less attention and help than heterosexual ones and have a much higher suicide rate. In a study, conducted by Children’s Hospital in Boston, the results found that 15% of GLBT teens are homeless. By comparison, only 3% of heterosexual teens are in similar straits. The American Journal of Public Health published the study on July 21.

That study’s results were confirmed by a study published earlier this year, "Suicide and Suicide Risk in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Populations: Review and Recommendations." The report shows that GLBTs who live in states where their rights are denied or are subject to popular vote suffer elevated instances of anxiety and depression, along with the kinds of substance abuse problems that are known to stem from those mental states...more