Young, Gay and Homeless

Daniel Browne: "Christmas is almost here, and many of us are looking forward to spending time with our loved ones. But there are some people who don't have that to look forward to. That is because they are homeless. Being homeless is one of the worst things can happen to someone. I know because I have been there. In 2004, at the age of 20, my circumstances changed dramatically, and I was made homeless one week before Christmas. I was devastated at the time, and it was a dark period in my life. I'm not alone, though. Research shows that there are 78,000 to 80,000 homeless young people in the UK. Of those, it is estimated that about 7 percent identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (around 5,600 people). It is my opinion that there are more homeless LGBT youth, as the 7-percent figure only represents those who disclose their sexuality or gender identity. There are many reasons that young LGBT people become homeless. Although there has been much progress in terms of government legislation and rights for LGBT people in the UK, discrimination and prejudice are still prevalent in some pockets of society."