One Third Of Homeless Young New Yorkers Are Gay - 1/4 of Gay Teens Thrown Out of Homes

I realize that I frequently illuminate the hypocrisy of the Christianists as they try to subvert religious freedom and impose their unloving and fear driven version of Christ's teachings on all of us. To some it may seem mean spirited. However, I truly believe that they have perverted the Gospel message and that true Christians must speak out and not let them create a picture of what Christians are - or should be. This leads me to the fact that 365gay.com is reporting (http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/12/121707hm.htm) that one third of the homeless youth on the streets of New York City are gay. I can only wonder how many of them were unceremoniously thrown out by their good "Christian" families due to their sexual orientation (a NGLTF report cited in the story indicates that one-fourth of all gay teens are thrown out of their homes). Others, even if not thrown out, may have felt compelled to leave. As the parent of three children, I cannot understand how a parent could throw their child out on the street simply because they are gay or lesbian or transgender. I would literally lay down my life for my children - any one of them.

The Christian Right and the sheeple who follow its teachings are so harsh in their self-righteous judgments of others - especially LGBT individuals - and so focused on the perceived weaknesses in others that they are blind-sided by their own. Rather than speak of love of neighbor and mercy as Jesus did they teach the opposite. Here is what the Bible has to say about so many of them:

Matthew 23:23, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the other undone."

It is so very sad, especially at this holiday time of year. I count my good luck in being blessed with parents - and an extended family - that accepted me as I truly am. I have friends that have not been so lucky. In any event here are some highlights:

(New York City) A new study says there are at least 3,800 people under the age of 25 living on the streets of New York and that almost 30 percent are gay, lesbian or bisexual. The study, by the Empire State Coalition of Youth and Family Services, has been turned over to City Council, which paid for it.

The results confirm a warning issued last January by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Coalition for the Homeless which said gay, lesbian and transgender youth make up at least 20 percent - possibly as much as 40 percent - of the total number of homeless and runaway youth across the country. The two national advocacy groups accused the federal government of neglecting what they described as an epidemic.

The January report said that roughly one-fourth of gay and lesbian teens are kicked out of their homes after their parents learn of their sexual orientation. The report also said many gay youths experienced physical violence during the process of coming out. Once homeless, the report says, these young people are more vulnerable than their peers to problems of mental health, substance abuse and sexually transmitted diseases.

A copy of the full NGLTF report can be found here: http://www.thetaskforce.org/downloads/HomelessYouth.pdf