Homessless Gay Kids Need Your Help

Written by Ryan J Davis at the Huffington Post -

While the struggle for gay rights typically focuses on civil unions and marriage, homeless gay youth is a clear and frightening epidemic. There are 1.6 million homeless kids in America, with 40% of those LGBT, a massively disproportionate figure. Thousands of these kids live in New York City and many receive vital services from the Ali Forney Center.

The Ali Forney Center, founded in 2002, is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive organization dedicated to homeless LGBT youth and currently services over 2,000 kids.

What impresses me most about AFC is that they don’t just provide their kids with a place to sleep, they provide them with a second chance. Carl Siciliano, the Executive Director, explains, “By offering these kids warm and loving homes, and giving them the support and guidance to get back to school and into jobs, we constantly reinforce the fact that they are worthy of being loved and being accepted.”

Read the rest of the story by clicking here.

Lesbian Youth at High Risk for Pregnancy

A study conducted at the University of British Columbia has revealed that lesbian and bisexual youth are up to 70% likely to get pregnant than their heterosexual peers.

The survey results have been published in the Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality. The data that provided the survey results came from health surveys of teens done in B.C. schools in 1992, 1998, and 2003.

The heightened risk factor is being attributed to several factors, including an attempt among closeted gay, lesbian and bisexual teens to prove they are heterosexual to avoid harassment and discrimination.

Elizabeth Saewyc, lead author of the study and an associate professor at the University of B.C.’s school of nursing stated;

“For some gay, lesbian and bisexual teens it’s camouflage because it’s still pretty stigmatized and they still face a lot of harassment at school.”

For gay male youth, results from the studies which were conducted anonymously among about 30,000 students in grades 7 through 12, show that boys are more likely to cause a pregnancy if they identify as gay or bisexual.

Nevada GLBT Youth Center Closing After 8 Years

According to KTVN News:

‘A Rainbow Place‘ is a local non-profit center that’s helped gay and lesbian youth for eight years. Now it’s shutting its doors.

“In 2000 when the center was founded, there was five youth that committed suicide and they really had no safe place to go. And so to not have this center now is just a terrible, terrible loss,” says Board President Eddie Reynoso.

Reynoso says that in recent years funding problems have plagued ‘A Rainbow Place.’

The recent economy also hasn’t helped.

It was the only counseling center that specifically catered to young gays and lesbians coming to terms with their sexuality and dealing with life.

But the organization says it’ll continue to provide as much help as possible. “Ultimately we need to focus back on the youth or these at-risk teens and find them the proper referrals.”

For the time being, the center will still counsel those who need it most.

‘A Rainbow Place‘ will work out of a small office at Northern Nevada Hopes. It’ll also work with the Crisis Call Center.

You can make donations at PO Box 2935, Reno, NV, 89505.

:

Young Pittsburgh Lesbian Aspires to Help Community

From pghlesbian.com:

Abigail Begandy doesn’t mind marching to the beat of her own drum.

Begandy, 16, a junior at Ringgold High School, recently was sworn in as a junior firefighter for the Monongahela Fire Department.

She was sworn in Oct. 7 and became the department’s third female firefighter.

“All my life, my community and family and friends have helped me and I just wanted to do something to give back,” said Begandy.

“Originally, I had planned on going into the army. But my mom didn’t want me to do that because she said there is just too much crazy stuff going on in the world,” she said.

“So, I decided to become a firefighter.”

Abigail also happens to be a lesbian. Who just outed herself to the readers of the local paper in a rural Mon Valley town. She’s working with her principal at Ringgold to start a GSA type organization.

The Plight of the Invisible LGBT Youth

From 365gay.com:

It’s a gorgeous mid-September Tuesday evening in New York City and the setting sun warmly glows over the streets of Midtown. Chelsea, New York’s gayest enclave, shifts into party mode just a few blocks south. To the northeast, the world is starting to queue up for Broadway hits. Meanwhile, commuters rush to the comforts of home.

Next Page »