Blog Post 3: LGBTQ+ Resources
As noted in the previous post regarding resources, the lack of proper care in relation to LGBTQ+ assistance is a focal point in keeping our children off the streets. They need to rely on the proper help from professionals that want them and their families to get along. Not being able to confide in a medical caretaker is detrimental. For LGBTQ+ people who have experienced discrimination against them, a small mistake can cause them to never trust those in power. This is because people in the medical field tend to marginalize children who identify as LGBTQ+. Not only this but many queer children are sent to conversion therapy by their parents. According to the Williams Institute at University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law, estimates that 698,000 LGBTQ Americans between the ages of 18 and 59 have undergone conversion therapy at some point in their lives. About 350,000 of those received that treatment as adolescents. The report also estimates that 20,000 LGBTQ youths currently between the ages of 13 and 17 will be subjected to conversion therapy from a licensed health care professional before they turn 18.
Why even bother with seeking help when all you are going to get is a “deal with it” diagnosis, or “lets fix you right up” response.
In Mule, et al’s “Promoting LGBT health and Wellbeing through Inclusive Policy Development,” writes about the importance of speaking on gender and sexually diverse populations in policy development to achieve a more inclusive form of medical assistance. Mule, et al focuses on how high rates of gender and sexually diverse youth are fleeing from homes due to the oppression of proper health handling by their peers. They focus on how combating the homelessness epidemic of the youth could be expelled if communities, institutions, and families were better informed on the diversity of the young children. Mule, et al argues that the main cause of this is fear of abuse stems from people in power marginalizing the LGBT youth. Enabling the children to reach their full potential and to grow up healthy would stabilize the high rates of homeless faced. LGBT people come from all socio-economic, ethno-racial, age, gender, (dis)ability, religious, geographical location, educational, and relationship status lines. Mule, et al argues that ensuring everyone regardless of orientation can get the proper support and information to make these important healthy choices. Mule, et al argues that in order for this to form, anti discrimination law should be better imposed.
Mule, Nick J., et al. “Promoting LGBT Health and Wellbeing through Inclusive Policy Development.” International Journal for Equity in Health, vol. 8, no. 1, 2009, p. 18., doi:10.1186/1475-9276-8-18.
