Ending Hunger in America, 2014 Hunger Report Full Report | Page 106

BOX 3.1

NEITHER SEEN NOR HEARD: LGBT YOUTH AND HUNGER
Michele Learner, Bread for the World Institute
Most of this year’s Hunger Report discusses hunger and poverty in the context of the many
stresses on U.S. families in a difficult economy. But hunger also affects teenagers who are
out on their own. For at least 320,000 to 400,000 teens each year, hunger and homelessness
are most often tied to family rejection. Stigma based on sexual orientation and gender identity
affects lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people across the life course—bringing
rejection, victimization, and a higher proportion of health and mental health problems. But
teenagers are the most vulnerable.
In the past, few adolescents came out publicly as LGBT. Today’s growing legal and social
acceptance of the LGBT community, while welcome and overdue, carries an “unintended consequence”—young people are coming out earlier, and many families, schools and communities
are not as accepting as media coverage suggests.
It’s a recipe for large numbers of young people who have
“There is little hard
either been kicked out of their homes by parents or have run
data available on
away in the face of family rejection and abuse. There is little
homelessness among
hard data available on homelessness among LGBT youth, but
LGBT youth, but
estimates suggest that as many as 40 percent of all homeless
estimates suggest that as
many as 40 percent of all
youth identify as LGBT. In one study in New York, the average
homeless youth identify
age that homeless lesbian and gay teenagers had become
as LGBT.”
homeless was just under 14 years old. For transgender youth,
it was even younger—13 years old.
What can be done? Hunger and homelessness for LGBT youth has causes and solutions
that are tied to the social environment. Solutions—meaning social change—must come from
greater awareness, government protection and services, and family support.
Preventing suicide, homelessness, and other serious health risks, and promoting the wellbeing of LGBT youth in the context of the family, is the mission of the Family ?????????A?????(?@???@???????????????????????????????????????????????????M??????????M??)U????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????1 P?????????)@???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????)??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????)]????5???????e????????????????????????????????????????????????????????e?????)??????????????????????????????????????????5????????????????????????????)????????????????????????1 P???????M????????5???????e???????C?e?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????1 P??????????????????)????d??????????????????????????????????????????!%X??????????????????????????)?????????????1 P?????????Q???????????????????????????????????5???????e???????)???????????????????????????Q?????????????????????????????????????????????)???????]???????????????????????????????5???????????????????)5???????1?????????????????????????? ??????????]????%???????(???
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