It has come to the end of the semester and while working and writing about the homeless community I have learned that the LGBTQ population is strongly represented among them. I strongly believe that the best way to address lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer youth homelessness is by having social activists in communities. Community social activist will give speeches in K- 12 schools, churches, and community centers. They will build awareness on the effects of rejecting our LGBTQ youth and how we can learn to accept them because they are no different from heterosexual adolescents. After informing and building awareness in the community the social activist, along with the community, will act upon the issue and create support groups for them in schools, the workforce, and in their own homes. The social activists main goal will be to help these adolescents create a social bond to society because weak social bonds is causing this group of youth to have symptoms of depression, substance abuse, and conduct problems. In order for LGBTQ youth to stop becoming homeless, the general population needs to become understanding and accepting of their sexual identity. They are unable to construct attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief in their personal lives and in society. Many individuals try to reach all four social bonds (Hirschi’s control theory) and others will just conform by having one. But when they are unable to reach any, they are more likely to engage in deviance, which may include petty theft, drug abuse, vandalism which all can lead to homelessness. Therefore, the social activist can bring positive change one community at the time.
Kimberly Popper
Latest posts by Kimberly Popper (see all)
- Advocacy - December 13, 2015
- LGBTQ and Homelessness - December 13, 2015
- Downtown Las Vegas - December 13, 2015
- OCTA: The Dirty 30 Route - November 23, 2015
- Change of Heart - November 16, 2015