Jay Vites
SOC 108
10 Nov 2014
Queer Youth & Homelessness
De Castell, S., & Jenson, J. (2006). No place like home: sexuality, community,
and identity among street-involved "queer and questioning"
youth. McGill Journal of Education, 41(3), 227-247. Retrieved from
http://ezproxy.canyons.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/2027170
42?accountid=38295
Canadian queer street-involved youths were asked their idea on “home:” what it is, what it means
to them, and the kind of home that they could thrive in. Using this information, a fundraiser was
established to help create safe, queer-friendly housing that suited the needs of these LGBT
youths. The fundraiser also helped queer youths during the production of the project by offering
meals, training, pay for work, and condoms in order to give an advantage to street-involved
marginalized youths. The article then goes on to explain, through the experiences of these street
queer youths, how the current education system unfairly disenfranchises marginalized students
by ignoring the worth of other ways of meaning-making (that aren’t linked to typical, literatureheavy education).
Dysart-Gale, D. (2010). Social justice and social determinants of health: Lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgendered, intersexed, and queer youth in canada. Journal of Child and Adolescent
Psychiatric Nursing, 23(1), 23-8. Retrieved from
http://ezproxy.canyons.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/2329655
25?accountid=38295
Examines the nursing value of social justice, where nurses are obligated to be informed, educated,
and trained to assist LGBTIQ youth in medical needs. A large factor in proper health is shelter,
which many LGBTIQ teens are without due to homelessness from families that don’t approve of
marginalized sexualities. Abuse and bullying may also come from family homes or homeless
shelters, where LGBTIQ teens are at risk. Queer homeless youth can turn to prostitution as a
means of living, and face abuse and STI risks in this way. Misunderstanding, bias, and
homophobia play into why these queer youth’s healthcare needs aren’t being met.
Fine, L. E. (2012). The context of creating space: Assessing the likelihood of college LGBT
center presence. Journal of College Student Development, 53(2), 285-299. Retrieved
from
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669?accountid=38295
Fine assesses the lack of LGBTQ resource centers on university and college campuses in
America, which only causes more tension and hostility for LGBT students that face harassment
or bullying on campus or in their personal lives. The author introduces social movement theory
as a lens to analyze the benefits that LGBTQ college centers could bring to students, including
resource mobilization and political opportunity. Fine argues that access to resources will only
allow LGBTQ students to succeed further in getting their voices heard on campus and working
with administration to solve any queer-related problems that exist. LGBTQ centers for students
can also help to prevent homelessness or provide resources for those struggling at home.
Moskowitz, A., Stein, J. A., & Lightfoot, M. (2013). The mediating roles of stress and
maladaptive behaviors on self-harm and suicide attempts among runaway and homeless
youth. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 42(7), 1015-27.
doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10964-012-9793-4
The authors discuss how different variables like gender, age, sexual orientation, parental drug
use, and emotional distress can predict self-harm and suicidal behavior in youth in runaway and
homeless youth, especially those that are LGBTQ, since they are statistically more likely to deal
with both self-harm and suicidal ideation. Stress and maladaptive behaviors are focused on as
correlated causes for both self-harm and suicidal ideation in LGBT homeless youth, who face
higher risks of both than non-homeless youth.
Nolan, T. C. (2006). Outcomes for a transitional living program serving LGBTQ youth in new
york city. Child Welfare, 85(2), 385-406. Retrieved from
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37?accountid=38295
Nolan provides information from a housing program in New York based on LGBTQ youth needs.
They discuss the issues to consider when dealing with homeless LGBTQ teens—such as
prostitution, drug use and addiction, HIV and STIs, and untreated medical problems. By
applying changes for the needs of these queer youth, shelters can prevent homeless youth from
ageing into homeless adults with even more problems. Nolan also recognizes that homeless
queer youth are even more susceptible to individual and institutional homophobia/transphobia
than those in safe homes with parental, emotional support. Transitional housing programs are
examined on whether they are successful with the queer youth that are discharged from their
programs.
Pritchard, E. D. (2013). For colored kids who committed suicide, our outrage isn't enough: Queer
youth of color, bullying, and the discursive limits of identity and safety. Harvard
Educational Review, 83(2), 320-345,401-402. Retrieved from
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209?accountid=38295
Pritchard discusses the lack of intersectionality within the discourse of gender- or sexualitybiased bullying and violence against LGBTQ youth. They argue that anti-bullying campaigns
and safe spaces are still an issue of race, class, and gender rather than an issue solely related to
marginalized sexualities or gender presentation. The article acknowledges that identity is not flat,
that there are multiple facets to any individual and thus, every facet of an individual that
identifies as queer will have an effect on their experiences with bullying, violence, homelessness,
etc. Because of these intersectional aspects of queer youth, homeless shelters become hazardous
and dangerous places for LGBT teens to seek safety.
Rosario, M., Schrimshaw, E. W., & Hunter, J. (2012). Homelessness among lesbian, gay, and
bisexual youth: Implications for subsequent internalizing and externalizing symptoms.
Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 41(5), 544-60. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10964011-9681-3
Rosario explains factors that correlate with homeless LGB youth, including mental health
(anxiety and depression), conduct problems, substance abuse, and childhood sexual trauma.
Findings suggest that reduced levels of stress and emotional/social support can reduce negative
psychological symptoms in homeless or previously-homeless LGB youth. Statistics show that
LGBT youth are overrepresented in the homeless population, making up about 15-36% of
homeless youth, while only 1-3% of youths are LGBT.
Sakamoto, I., Chin, M., Chapra, A., & Ricciardi, J. (2009). A 'normative' homeless
woman?: marginalisation, emotional injury and social support
of transwomen experiencing homelessness. Gay and Lesbian Issues and
Psychology Review, 5(1), 2-19. Retrieved from
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30?accountid=38295
The article reviews the hardships and quality of life for homeless trans women, who regularly
face discrimination, attacks, and violence due to transphobia, heteronormativity, poverty, and
lack of shelter. The relationships between homeless trans women and homeless cis women are
examined and described as a network of emotional support for each other, especially in instances
where female-only shelters are hostile towards trans women. Even in supposedly queer-safe
villages, many gay residents work to keep trans people (mainly trans women) out of the
neighborhood, thus denying shelter even within the LGBTQ community.
Stanley, E. A., & Spade, D. (2012). Queering prison abolition, now? American Quarterly, 64(1),
115-127,183. Retrieved from
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181?accountid=38295
Intellectual activists discuss the involvement of the queer community in prison abolition, and
how queer rights align with the disruption of the current American prison system. LGBTQ
people rally against the strictly enforced heteronormativity, archaic gender roles, white
supremacy, and ableism that is rampant in prison systems today. Because queer people are
socially labeled as deviant and criminal, homeless queer youth face an even higher chance of
incarceration at the hands of the oppressors that are not sympathetic to their condition.
Van Leeuwen, J.,M., Boyle, S., Salomonsen-Sautel, S., D, N. B., & al, e. (2006). Lesbian, gay,
and bisexual homeless youth: An eight-city public health perspective. Child Welfare,
85(2), 151-70. Retrieved from
http://ezproxy.canyons.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/2138102
31?accountid=38295
The article provides a review of a health survey completed by LGB and non-LGB homeless
youth to assess the levels of care and needs that are/are not being met by community services. It
aims to reveal the gaps in areas where more training and resources are necessary to adequately
offer equal health services to LGB homeless youth. A significant number of homeless youth
report medical needs for drug and alcohol use, as well as an increase in risk of STIs from
prostitution or survival sex.