In the past three decades, gays and lesbians have become more assertive in expressing their rights within American society. Being gay comes as a source of pride for some, while being a social stigma for others. Though people who identify as LGBTQ are gaining legal rights and protection, they are still subject to discriminatory laws and social intolerance. Those who hold negative attitudes towards gays and lesbians are likely to have less likely to have interpersonal communication with them. This is because of the existence of negative attitudes, in addition to the anti-gay violence and harassment that some LGBTQ people continue to suppress their sexual orientation. Being someone who identifies as LGBTQ, it is important to me that people are educated about the problems that are commonly neglected in terms of interpersonal communication between homosexuals and heterosexuals and how these problems coincide with the vast amount of LGBTQ homeless youth there are in America. Communication accommodation theory and conflict management skills are the most applicable to theories of LGBTQ homelessness. Communication accommodation theory is the theory that all people adapt their behavior to others to some extent. People who adapt to others appropriately and sensitively are more likely to experience positive communication. This does not mean they tell people what they want to hear or adapt their behavior to get what they want, rather they are aware of what their partner is doing or saying, especially in the instance of differing sexuality. Though this may seem like common sense to some, being sensitive and empathetic to others is not necessarily a readily accessible skill. Coming out to heterosexual family or peers is either a constru... ... middle of paper ... ...people decide to leave and try to fend for themselves on the streets. With this in mind, we must try to better understand existing systems of care and ensure the best practices are in place to provide a safe and welcoming environment for LGBTQ youth to prevent them from being homeless in the first place. This is done by providing therapeutic services to assist families in dealing with their adolescent’s sexual identity, therefore improving the home environment and reducing the likelihood that the LGBTQ youth will leave. There is also an urgent need to better understand the reasons behind the heightened public health risks LGBTQ homeless youth experience. Places, like Community of Hope, provide a safe haven for these LGBTQ homeless families and individuals, thus allowing them to stay off the streets and away from risk factors that are potentially life threatening.
Mercer, L. R. & Berger, R. M. (1989). Social service needs of lesbian and gay adolescents. Adolescent Sexuality: New Challenges for Social Workers. Haworth Press.
Furthermore, facilities frequently concentrate on “quick-fix” interventions instead of focusing on their qualities that empower them and concentrating on long-term aspirations (Heinze & Jozefowicz-Simbeni, 2009). For the most part, it is extremely hard to access health care for the youth population because they face various restrictions. It is not surprising that many homeless adolescents do not have a way of seeking services even if they are the population that needs it the most. Homeless youth are at a higher risk of adverse outcomes such as not being able to further their education, getting incarcerated, developing a mental health disorder, and engaging in alcohol dependency and unsafe sexual behavior (Heinze & Jozefowicz-Simbeni, 2009). Children without a home are more prone to live in inconsistent and harsh living conditions categorized by family and school issues. Although; many homeless youths do not experience desirable outcomes housing programs and similar services serve a primary support system to help reduce homelessness. Services that promise better living conditions are shown to enhance lifestyles and a positive development into adulthood.
Youth homelessness in Ontario is not a new phenomenon, it has become more and more severe over the past 20 years. “One third of homeless individuals on the streets are under the age of 25”(Cino, Rose). It is a significant social justice issue in Canada. Within our community people are increasingly aware of the sight of youth sleeping in parks, asking for money and sitting on sidewalks. Youth homelessness in Ontario is primarily caused by tragic life occurrences such as abuse, illness or unemployment.
There is arguably no group that has faced more discrimination in modern society than queer people of color. Although often pushed together into a single minority category, these individuals actually embrace multiple racial and sexual identities. However, they suffer from oppression for being a part of both the ethnic minority and queer communities. As a result, members are abused, harassed, and deprived of equal civil rights in social and economic conditions (Gossett). In response to the multiple levels of discrimination they face in today’s society, queer people of color have turned to the establishment and active participation of support organizations, resources, and policies to advocate for overall equality.
For years homosexuality in the United States of America has been looked down upon by citizens, religions, and even politicians. The homosexual culture, or the LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender), has been demoralized and stuck out and lashed against by the Heterosexual community time and time again. To better understand the LGBT community we must first grasp the concept of Sexual Orientation.
Homosexuality has existed since the beginning of recorded human history and yet, attitudes towards gay and lesbian individuals vary extensively. Some societies tolerate them; others openly welcome and encourage them; and most blatantly condemn them (Bates, 46). Throughout our country’s history, homosexuals have been misunderstood and discriminated against, leading many to acquire an irrational fear of gays and lesbians. Known as homophobia, this fear has prompted heterosexual individuals with a feeling a superiority and authority when using the word “homosexual” interchangeably with the words pervert, faggot, sodomite, and so on. Homophobes typically perceive homosexuality as a threat to society. Nonetheless, the Gay Rights Movement has achieved impressive progress since 1973 when the American Psychological Association (APA) eradi...
Based off the attention from modern media, youth homelessness has been on an unfortunate upslope in the United States within the past decade. Various factors tie into why this issue is becoming more prominent such as low income households being unable to afford children, LGBT youth rejection, and domestic abuse leading to children leaving home. Now, vagrancy has a severely negative impact on the development of young people as it inhibits them from developing academically, socially, and mentally and can also expose them to diseases and potentially various types of abuse, such as sexual and substance abuse. This is an issue that should be addressed, for the rising generations are America’s future, and so investing in the overall well-being of the
Youth become homeless for a number of reasons, including: family violence and neglect, rejection due to sexual orientation or gender identity, the overwhelmed child welfare system and extreme poverty. These youth almost always have experienced unimaginable abuse and trauma, in their homes, their communities, and on the street. It is the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA)-funded services and programs that help to rectify the deep injustices that homeless youth experience on a daily basis.
The perspectives from transgender youth is critically missing in many discussion, research, intervention and implementation strategies. Transgender youth, are misunderstood, misrepresented and excluded from conversations, decision making, and policy execution when in actuality they should be involved. Shelton & Bond (2017) elucidates that although there is a growing body of research that examines LGBTQ youth homelessness, gaps in knowledge about the specific experiences of transgender and gender-expansive homeless youth remain. Studies focus largely on transgender youth in the context of the methods and measures in studies. Hence, including transgender youth within research on sexual minorities, rather than allowing them a distinct category of inquiry, can replicate the common misreading of transgender people as
Giffords, E., Alonso, C., & Bell, R. (2007). A Transitional Living Program for Homeless Adolescents: A Case Study. Child & Youth Care Forum, 36(4), 141-151. doi:10.1007/s10566-007-9036-0.
Identifying as a member of the LGBTQ population could result in homelessness. In an article about homeless
Homelessness is associated with a culture unique to individuals who have, unstable housing or no housing who live on the streets, public places, shelters, halfway homes or in their cars. Homelessness is defined statistically as a state of not having a place to stay (Ravenhill, 2016). The statistical definition of homelessness conflicts with the perception of homeless people because for some homeless individuals the concept of home refers to a refuge, safe place, relationship with other homeless individuals, a unique personal space or an emotional and psychological refuge (Ravenhill). Even though homeless individuals do not have a stable place to stay they may have a place they call home.
Countless organizations are available with the purpose of serving LGBT people who may be suffering, physically, mentally, or emotionally. One of the many goals of the LGBT community is to celebrate individuality, diversity, and sexuality. The LGBT does serve these needs, as it provides a place where gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people can be apologetically themselves.
Faculty Researchers wants to know Does sexual orientation have an impact on nonverbal behavior in interpersonal communication? Yes, sexual orientation does have an impact on nonverbal behavior in interpersonal communication. People can detect sexual orientation in homosexual or heterosexual rather they speak verbally, nonverbally or can be engaged in both communication skills at the same time. However, women and men have different ways of using body gestures and we will learn more about it throughout my paper.
When one hears the words “LGBT” and “Homosexuality” it often conjures up a mental picture of people fighting for their rights, which were unjustly taken away or even the social emergence of gay culture in the world in the1980s and the discovery of AIDS. However, many people do not know that the history of LGBT people stretches as far back in humanity’s history, and continues in this day and age. Nevertheless, the LGBT community today faces much discrimination and adversity. Many think the problem lies within society itself, and often enough that may be the case. Society holds preconceptions and prejudice of the LGBT community, though not always due to actual hatred of the LGBT community, but rather through lack of knowledge and poor media portrayal.