Our Transgender Youth Face the Streets
Transgender youth are a gender on the borderlines and outskirts of society. Facing discrimination, rejection and dysphoria, Transgender Youth have to carry the weight of society’s oppression. Often times rejected by their families Transgender Youth face homelessness. 56% of Transgender Youth report having experienced some type of homelessness in their lifetime. 7-39% of homeless LGBT youth are Transgender, which is incredible being that the Transgender population is only two percent of the population.
Homeless Transgender Youth are likely to accommodate to their own situation by selling or using drugs, and by engaging in sex work, where they may sell their bodies on the street for at least a night in a bed with a total stranger. Centers are opening to support LGBT Youth and Transgender Youth, but they do not resolve the problem of discrimination with housing, health services and education. Transgender Youth were in the highest percentage of those bullied while living in faith based shelters. More outreach is needed as more resources must be provided to Transgender Youth.
Health services may account for a very general description of dysphoria. While safety measures including HIV prevention and sex education are still widely lacking among Transgender Youth. Too young for Medicare or Medicaid, many Transgender Youth would have to pay out of pocket for any health coverage, and often times wind up having to pay for all medical treatment out of pocket. Transgender youth face job discrimination, and face even further health disparities if they learn to sell drugs, or their bodies to help provide them with food and shelter
50% of Transgender Youth drop out of high school. The average age coming out age has lowered since Obama’s presidency, when it used to be between 19-27. It is now between 14-19 that the majority of Transgenders come out with a desire to live as a gender not assigned at birth. Facing family rejection, rejection from school faculty, housing and Job discrimination is not easy. Many among the Transgender population have these barriers, and boundaries placed on them. If resources aren’t made available to them. Transgender Youth will continue to be pushed to the outskirts of society, with very little room for improvement. Transgender Youth face psychological conditions due to dysphoria, displacement and PTSD, and reports show they face a below average mortality rate.
Transgender Youth may feel that they are the ones to blame, while all they need is the support and funds to shelter themselves and be offered provisions. Reinforcement of the transgender disposition, while facing rejection by their own family, by educators and health providers is necessary to offer to Transgender Youth a chance for a decent life. Accommodations must be made that are physical in terms of heath and housing. Mental in terms of providing enough support to our Transgender Youth to stay in school, and or receive emotional supports to reinforce self esteem, and spiritual in that bullying and discrimination can have a dramatic impact on how a Transgender Youth is expected to live their live. We need outreach and we need it badly. With the current administration, Transgender Youth are suffering, but from no cause of their own.
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Category: Transgender Opinion
About the Author (Author Profile)
I am a Transgender Woman, who is interested in journalism and activism.Subscribe
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