LGBTQ+ Youth Houselessness in Louisville, KY: A Preliminary Critical Discussion

An estimated 40% of the more than 2 million youth who are reported houseless in the United States identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (Ferguson and Maccio 2016, 659). Why do LGBTQ+ (or queer, for short) youth disproportionately experience houselessness and what can be done about it? There are a multitude of houseless agencies throughout Kentucky, particularly within the city of Louisville where houselessness is a prominent issue. It is uncommon for these agencies to engage in LGBTQ+ affirming services and programming which fails to serve the needs of the LGBTQ+ houseless community. Thus, Sweet Evening Breeze - a Louisville, KY based nonprofit that advocates for LGBTQ+ houseless youth was founded to remedy this gap. The current study, in partnership with Sweet Evening Breeze, aims to examine demographics of houseless folx; causal factors underlying LGBTQ+ houselessness; agencies LGBTQ+ houseless youth utilize; and the services they lack. To this end, surveys were conducted at Sweet Evening Breeze headquarters, by going into encampments, attending events where target populations will be present, and at collaborating shelters in and around Louisville. The preliminary data collected from the surveys were examined to draw implications and promote critical dialogue and social change regarding LGBTQ+ houselessness