Provincetown Women Innkeepers Partners with True Colors Fund for Homeless LGBT Youth Awareness

  Women Innkeepers of Provincetown Announce Partnership with Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors Fund to Raise Awareness About LGBT Youth Homelessness.  Provincetown, MA – The Women Innkeepers of Provincetown are thrilled to announce their partnership with Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors Fund in an effort to raise awareness about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth homelessness, (homeless … More Provincetown Women Innkeepers Partners with True Colors Fund for Homeless LGBT Youth Awareness

California Protections for Transgender Foster Youth Signed into Law

Posted by Melanie Nathan, Oct 11, 2015. SACRAMENTO – Legislation authored by Senator Mark Leno that provides new protections for transgender foster youth in California was signed into law today by Governor Jerry Brown. Senate Bill 731 ensures that all foster youth, including those who identify as transgender, are placed in appropriate homes where they … More California Protections for Transgender Foster Youth Signed into Law

New Federal Funding to Serve Homeless LGBTQ Youth in NYC

Posted by Melanie Nathan, October 07, 2015. Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-10), and the Ali Forney Center (AFC) announced three new federal grants to help continue AFC’s important work serving homeless youth in New York City, an estimated 40% of which identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ). Combined, the more than $1 million … More New Federal Funding to Serve Homeless LGBTQ Youth in NYC

Barriers LGBT Homeless Youth Face in Obtaining Important ID Documents

CAP Report Outlines Barriers  Homeless Queer Youth Face in Obtaining Important Identification Documents Posted by Melanie Nathan, October 01, 2015. Washington, D.C. — Research suggests that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, or LGBT, youth experience homelessness at a much higher rate than their non-LGBT peers. Like for most homeless youth, this leads to significant challenges … More Barriers LGBT Homeless Youth Face in Obtaining Important ID Documents

Senate Fails to Protect Homeless LGBT Youth in Human Trafficking Bill

Posted by Melanie Nathan, April 22, 2015. Laura E. Durso, Director of the Center for American Progress’ LGBT Research and Communications Project, issued the following statement after the U.S. Senate failed to include reauthorization of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, or RHYA, as an amendment to the human trafficking prevention legislation currently being considered. … More Senate Fails to Protect Homeless LGBT Youth in Human Trafficking Bill

Nancy Pelosi on Obama call for Conversion Therapy Ban

Posted By Melanie Nathan, April 09, 2015. Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released this statement today following President Obama’s call to end the harmful psychiatric therapies aimed at “converting” LGBT people, especially children and youth: “LGBT lives matter.  Yet, we have lost too many loved ones who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender as the result … More Nancy Pelosi on Obama call for Conversion Therapy Ban

San Francisco Catholic Church Installs Doorway Water Showers to Drench Sleeping Homeless

By Melanie Nathan, March 18, 2015. I recall protesting the installation of viciously anti-LGBTI Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone at the Archdiocese in San Francisco. Now it seems that it is not only gays that the Catholic Church in San Francisco has under attack and wants to keep from its opulent doorway. The venom has now spewed … More San Francisco Catholic Church Installs Doorway Water Showers to Drench Sleeping Homeless

Legislation to Give Homeless Youth Access to High School Equivalency Exams

By Melanie Nathan, March 13, 2015. Homeless youth across California would have greater access to the high school proficiency and equivalency exams under new legislation introduced by Senator Mark Leno. Senate Bill 252 would prohibit the Department of Education or testing companies from charging an exam fee to young people who are homeless. “Exam fees, … More Legislation to Give Homeless Youth Access to High School Equivalency Exams

Announcing Legislation for Homeless Youth

SAN FRANCISCO – California State Senator Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, will join homeless youth advocates and other elected officials in San Francisco on Friday to announce important new legislation that gives homeless youth greater access to high school proficiency and equivalency exams. SB 252 would prohibit the Department of Education or testing companies from charging … More Announcing Legislation for Homeless Youth

Report Shows Difficulties Faced by Transgender Homeless Youth

Posted by Melanie Nathan, Feb 02, 2015. Washington, D.C. — Youth homelessness in America is nearing epidemic levels, and the problem among the transgender community is disproportionately acute. At least one in five transgender young people have experienced homelessness, and many of them have encountered discrimination, harassment, and abuse in shelters and other services meant … More Report Shows Difficulties Faced by Transgender Homeless Youth

HRC Calls in San Francisco Police for LGBT Castro Protest

Peaceful Protest attracts curious tourists, reporters and Castro community By Melanie Nathan, January 31, 2015. About 2 dozen LGBT activists from San Francisco and community members held a vigil outside the San Francisco Human Rights Campaign (HRC) souvenir store in the Castro today. The gathering, which took the form of a sidewalk noon brunch, outside … More HRC Calls in San Francisco Police for LGBT Castro Protest

One Step Closer for MA Homeless Queer Youth

As the Commonwealth enacts law to improve housing and services for homeless youth… By Cathy Kristofferson, December 31, 2014. Two years ago, on January 1st 2013, I posted here on OBLOGDEE about the ongoing plight of homeless queer youth. Every now and then that post gets renewed interest when someone quotes and/or links to it. That happened again … More One Step Closer for MA Homeless Queer Youth

Groundbreaking Homeless Trans Teen Film

BECOMING MORE VISIBLE,  – A burgeoning crisis Posted by Melanie Nathan, January 25, 2014. From behind the lens of photographer Josh Lehrer, a groundbreaking film will tell the compelling stories of five, homeless transgender teens. Their backgrounds are diverse, but their stories are strikingly similar. Rejected by their families and lured to New York City with … More Groundbreaking Homeless Trans Teen Film

Homeless Youth | “Street Child: A Memoir”

Award Winning Author Justin Reed Early releases new edition of acclaimed “Street Child: A Memoir”  Continuing National Tour Providing Books at No Cost to Homeless and At-Risk Youth  (& Social Workers) Posted by Cathy Kristofferson , May 19, 2013. Los Angeles, CA, May 10, 2013….This week the acclaimed book “Street Child: A Memoir” was re-released … More Homeless Youth | “Street Child: A Memoir”

Re-introduction of the Every Child Deserves a Family Act

By Cathy Kristofferson, May 07, 2013. Tomorrow, the Every Child Deserves a Family Act (ECDF) will be re-introduced in Congress.  The Act would ban discrimination in adoption or foster care placement based on the marital status, sexual orientation or gender identity of the potential parent, or the sexual orientation or gender identity of the child. … More Re-introduction of the Every Child Deserves a Family Act

Breaking ground in South Africa with a traditional Zulu gay wedding

By Melanie Nathan, April 07, 2013. South Africa is a leader in the world of equality, enjoying an all inclusive constitution, where same-sex marriage is legal and discrimination against LGBTI people outlawed. However that has not stopped homophobia and fear to embrace LGBTI South Africans as fully equal. This video  and the report of the … More Breaking ground in South Africa with a traditional Zulu gay wedding

After the Apology demands that HRC be all inclusive on all issues

Will HRC put its money where its mouth is? By Melanie Nathan, April 1, 2013 Thousands of LGBT community members and allies showed up at the steps of SCOTUS this past week to support marriage equality, and many were there because of the extraordinary organizing efforts of a coalition of LGBT organizations under the title, … More After the Apology demands that HRC be all inclusive on all issues

National Organization for Marriage insults all adopted children by calling adoption ‘second best’

By Cathy Kristofferson, March 14, 2013. The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) specializes in insults.  Usually such insults are directed at the gay community – our love, our marriages, our families.  But today they struck out against adopted children.  And not just children in gay adoptions, but all adoptions!  NOM’s chairman, John Eastman, said: “Certainly … More National Organization for Marriage insults all adopted children by calling adoption ‘second best’

Atlanta area gay community’s inspiring project to save homeless queer youth

Lost-n-Found – A do it yourself homeless queer youth shelter By Cathy Kristofferson, January 29, 2013.  Update Feb. 7 2013: Creating Change ’13 Conference session handout. In the fall of 2011 I saw posts online about a new queer youth shelter opening in Atlanta.  Local homeless queer youth were being turned away from shelters and … More Atlanta area gay community’s inspiring project to save homeless queer youth

Uganda’s Brave Gay Youth reach out to the World for help

Help Youth on Rock Find a Home and a Safe house by Melanie Nathan, January 27, 2013. I reported the unlawful arrest of a young leader from the human rights group in Uganda, Youth on Rock Foundation (YRF), around New Year’s Eve, after the break in at SMUG’s offices, where computers containing sensitive information were … More Uganda’s Brave Gay Youth reach out to the World for help

Homeless Queer Youth – Emancipation, is it really so “out of the box”?

Legal emancipation can give homeless queer youth the tools they need to become independent By Cathy Kristofferson, January 21, 2013. Thinking about a comment I had heard that maybe we need to ‘think out side the box’ for solutions to help with issues of queer youth homelessness I thought of emancipation.  It’s not a new … More Homeless Queer Youth – Emancipation, is it really so “out of the box”?

San Francisco Help LGBT Homeless Youth on MLK Day of Service

Help LGBT Homeless Youth on MLK  – Day of Service, 1/21/13 At HRC and Larkin Street Youth Services, we believe that we have a responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of our LGBT youth, who make up 40 percent of homeless and at-risk youth. In our first year participating in MLK Day of Service, … More San Francisco Help LGBT Homeless Youth on MLK Day of Service

Berkeley Queer Concert to benefit homeless youth

Singer/Songwriters and Spoken Word Artists come together to raise funds and awareness of our most vulnerable population By Melanie Nathan, January 17, 2013. Well I am definitely going to what promises to be an amazing evening – but more important the cause. I hope to meet some of our readers on Saturday, January 19th at … More Berkeley Queer Concert to benefit homeless youth

Homeless queer youth | the Massachusetts Special Commission

Can Massachusetts be a case study to improve the odds for homeless queer youth? By Cathy Kristofferson, January 09, 2013. The epidemic of homeless queer youth is an issue I’ve followed and advocated for because to me our youth are the most vulnerable among us.  They are empowered by our successes and are coming out younger and … More Homeless queer youth | the Massachusetts Special Commission