‘I didn’t want to be noticed’: discrimination and violence among LGBTQ + youth experiencing homelessness

Abstract

This qualitative study documents incidents of discrimination and violence among LGBTQ + youth experiencing homelessness along with their adaptation strategies. Using intersectionality theory, this analysis is based on individual interviews conducted with 17 LGBTQ + youth experiencing homelessness aged 17 to 25. According to their stories, LGBTQ + youth experienced various types of discrimination and violence in the context of homelessness. Youth report anticipating and experiencing physical and psychological violence from passersby in public spaces, causing them to hide from the gaze of others. They also report that police profiling of racialized youth and young women sex workers leads these youth to avoid confrontational interactions with the police. Some youth mention that landlords and employers discriminate against them based on their ethnicity and gender expression, requiring them to have contingency plans for housing and employment. Lastly, many LGBTQ + youths report hiding information about being bisexual, being trans or doing sex work to avoid prejudice and rejection from their intimate partners. The results show that heterosexist, cisgenderism, sexist and racist discrimination and violence amplify the social exclusion of LGBTQ + youth who are already marginalized due to their homelessness.