3. Pathways Into and Out of Homelessness for LGBTQ2S Youth
Over a decade ago, youth homelessness advocates noticed a spike in the number of LGBTQ2S youth experiencing homelessness. Multiple causes for the disproportionate rate at which LGBTQ2S youth experience homelessness have been reported, including homophobia, transphobia, classism and racism, often resulting in increased involvement in the foster care and juvenile justice systems, individual and familial poverty and identity-based family rejection. This chapter focuses on how the single narrative of family rejection has influenced the movement to address LGBTQ2S youth homelessness. The authors will also discuss the importance of an intersectional approach to this issue, and then, using that intersectional lens, will consider alternative pathways into and out of homelessness for LGBTQ2S young people.