Though LGBT youth make up only 7 percent of the general youth population, they experience homelessness at a wildly disproportionate rate--40 percent. In collaboration with GLAAD and other LGBT advocates, the True Colors Fund is working to reduce this number while bringing awareness to the plight of homeless youth with #40toNoneDay.
From At the Intersections, a collaborative resource for LGBT youth homelessness:
In a recent study of street outreach programs, 6.8 percent of youth participants identified as transgender, and 34 percent identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or something else. LGBT youth were significantly more likely to experience victimization on the street than their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts.
In a survey of homeless youth service providers, respondents reported that LGBT youth experienced longer periods of homelessness than their straight and cisgender counterparts. They were more likely to report this for the transgender youth they served.
To help spread the word on #40toNoneDay, you can download an "unselfie" sign, like those below, and post a photo using the hashtag #40toNoneDay. There's also a scavenger hunt challenging you to take five "unselfie" photos with community members and their corresponding signs.
While #40toNoneDay is only one day, LGBT youth homelessness is a year-round issue. For more information and ideas about what you can do to help these at-risk youths, visit the True Colors Fund and At the Intersections.
