Coming out can lead to homelessness

[marshlander]

I've just been glancing through a recent EU Fundamental Rights Agency Report,

"Homophobia and Discrimination on Grounds of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in the EU Member States: Part II - The Social Situation"

It makes sober reading. Here is a tiny extract:

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The family is of pivotal importance to any person, whether a child, teenager or adult for the provision of emotional support. The LGBT NGOs interviewed across the EU confirmed that responses of families are a major issue seriously affecting the well-being of LGBT persons. Research in Poland,[/SIZE][SIZE=1] [/SIZE]Portugal, Malta, Lithuania, United Kingdom, Italy, Slovenia, Latvia, Germany, Slovakia, and France [SIZE=3][SIZE=2]shows that a significant number of LGBT persons conceal their sexual orientation from relatives to avoid experiencing discrimination within their family. These studies, however, also show that the majority of the respondents who are open about their sexual orientation meet acceptance within the family. Rejection by the family has emotional consequences, but it can also result in homelessness. A study [/SIZE][/SIZE][SIZE=4] in the United Kingdom showed that 29 per cent of lesbian respondents and 25 per cent of gay male respondents became homeless when they ‘came out’ to their parents. [/SIZE]In Slovakia, a study showed that 20 per cent of its LGB respondents were expelled from home, when they ‘came out’.
Furthermore, Belgian research60 has shown that LGBT persons rely less on family members and more on friends when seeking social support.

I'm not clear from what I've read so far as to when these expulsions took place, but the report from which the UK figures were extracted focussed on young people and was itself published in 2004.

The whole report can be accessed here[/SIZE][/SIZE]

[fjp999]

What is happening to humanity?

[CardShark]

What is happening to humanity?

Should I reply to that question?

[joseph]

that is very very sad

[marshlander]

that is very very sad

I agree, Joseph. I guess we are among the lucky ones.

What concerns me is, if these figures are accurate, why don't I know many more people who were forced out of their homes for this reason? I can see what my next conversation in the pub will be about.

[yar]

Very Sad indeed. Keep us informed marshlander.