of LGBTQ+ youth are more likely to experience housing instability, facing discrimination, and homelessness.
of LGBTQ+ youth experience homelessness, while only being 10% of the US population.
of LGBTQ+ youth report experiencing homelessness or housing instability in rural areas.
Family conflict is the primary cause of homelessness for LGBTQ+ youth, which is disproportionately due to a lack of acceptance by family members of a youth’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
LGTBQ+ youth may experience discrimination, verbal abuse, and/or physical abuse within their family homes, leading them to seek refuge elsewhere.
LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness often have a history of foster care. Many LGBTQ+ youth age out of foster care without a stable support system.
"I learned that hiding my authentic self was never going to protect me. While losing my home and the future I thought I had as a teenager was horrific, it also taught me an important lesson: One thing that can't be taken away is the truth of who you are."
"I would go anywhere to escape. I never knew whether my father would kill me in my sleep or kill himself. Sometimes I refer to those years as homelessness and sometimes I refer to them as housing instability. What is home if you do not feel safe in it?"