As WorldPride 2014 descends upon Toronto this week, the city celebrates the diversity of its own LGBTQ2 communities through a variety of events, parties and parades. WorldPride 2014 also puts a spotlight on Canada’s continued work in human rights, touting Toronto as safe place for LGBTQ2 in “one of the world’s most progressive and liveable cities.” So why don’t LGBTQ2 homeless youth in Toronto have a safe place to go to each night?
LGBTQ2 youth face a higher risk of homelessness due to transphobia and homophobia in the home and at school. They face further discrimination once in the shelter system, and as a result, many prefer to sleep on the streets instead of a shelter.
In addition to the discrimination they face in shelters, LGBTQ2 youth experiencing homelessness are at a dramatically higher risk for suicide and mental health difficulties than their heterosexual and cisgender peers. They are also at a higher risk for substance abuse, risky sexual behavior and homophobic and transphobic violence.
The infographic below shows the many difficulties LGBTQ2 homeless youth face each night as they search for shelter. With a staggering 25-40% of the homeless youth population identifying as LGBTQ2, one must question, “why are there still no specialized services or housing initiatives for LGBTQ2 youth in Toronto?”
