Homeless LGBTQS+ youth with nowhere to go

Essex County Council is continuing its discussion around homelessness in members of the LGBTQS+ community.

It's estimated that across Canada, there are 150,000 young people experiencing homelessness — as many as 40 per cent of them, members of the LGBTQS+ community.

According to Colm Holmes of Windsor Pride, many of hem have been rejected by their families because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

“A lot of times, family breakdown comes from ignorance. Sometimes it comes from religious beliefs or people’s overall upbringings, but it doesn’t really matter what the reason is that a child would be rejected from their family, but we know what the outcome is and that’s huge risk on the streets.”

Holmes says many youth in this position don’t feel comfortable in standard homeless shelters adding homophobia and transphobia tend to “run rampant” in those settings — leaving some people with nowhere to go in the cold, and in danger.

“The risks are numerous, whether it be sex work implications, human trafficking… there’s lots of opportunities for youth to be taken advantage of when they’re experiencing homelessness and unfortunately youth are very trustworthy and very vulnerable,” said Holmes.

The conversation came up at Essex Council where Trans Wellness Ontario presented earlier in the summer on a need for services geared towards homeless, queer youth in the region.

“It wasn’t a huge surprise to say the least. The size and magnitude of the numbers, if you’re going to say ‘have I got your attention?’ it got your attention,” said Warden Gary McNamara.

County council adopting the minutes from that June meeting Wednesday night with McNamara saying, “the whole region needs to come together on this.”

Holmes added, any time the conversation happens, it’s a win.

Stats quoted at that June meeting show 35,000 homeless youth in Toronto — 21 per cent of those LGBTQS+.

McNamara told CTV News, he can’t imagine the numbers in Windsor-Essex are far behind.