LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness deserve more than survival. They deserve safe, affirming places to call home.

Every young person deserves a safe place to call home and to be accepted for who they are. Yet for many LGBTQ+ youth, rejection and discrimination make that safety hard to find—pushing too many into homelessness or unstable living situations.

Each LGBTQ+ young person’s journey is different, shaped by many intersecting factors, including sexual orientation, gender identity, race, immigration status, and the barriers they face in schools, families, and communities. Ending LGBTQ+ youth homelessness requires solutions that reflect that diversity, offering safety, affirmation, and resources that respond to the specific needs of each youth.

Understanding LGBTQ+ Homelessness

LGBTQ+ youth face homelessness for many reasons, and no single factor tells the whole story. Family rejection, discrimination, economic instability, and gaps in supportive services all play a role. Many young people leave home to escape unsafe and unaccepting environments, while others experience homelessness after aging out of foster care, being pushed out of school, or facing systemic barriers in housing and employment.

Research shows that LGBTQ+ youth are over 120% more likely to experience homelessness than their non-LGBTQ+ peers. They make up as much as 40% of all youth experiencing homelessness, despite representing only 9.5% of the overall population.

Within this community, certain risks are intensified by societal inequities rather than individual traits.

Within the LGBTQ+ community, rates of domestic and intimate partner violence are significantly higher. Bisexual women report higher prevalence of rape, physical violence, and stalking compared with heterosexual women, while lesbian and gay men experience higher levels of sexual and intimate partner violence than heterosexual peers. Many LGBTQ+ youth flee home to escape sexual or physical violence, making it a significant pathway into homelessness. Once out of their homes, youth face even greater risks, including violence, trafficking, mental health challenges, and emotional or physical abuse.

Black, Indigenous, and youth of color have an 83% higher risk of experiencing homelessness compared with their non-BIPOC peers, and anti-Black racism, white supremacy, and housing discrimination create significant barriers to stability. A 2015 survey found that 20% of Black transgender individuals were unemployed and 38% lived in poverty—more than twice the rates of non-transgender Black people. Family rejection, anti-transgender stigma, and hostile political climates further increase the likelihood that BIPOC LGBTQ+ youth remain in homelessness.

Transgender and gender diverse youth experience some of the highest risks of homelessness and human trafficking. Many are forced to leave home due to family rejection or discrimination, and once homeless, they face elevated dangers in shelters and housing programs that are not designed for their safety or affirming of their identity. Traffickers exploit these vulnerabilities, preying on the need for acceptance and stable housing. Barriers to gender-affirming care, identity documentation, and legal protections further deepen instability for trans youth. 

Addressing Barriers

Barriers to stability for LGBTQ+ youth are often layered and intersecting, but there are targeted ways to address them:

  • Provide low-barrier housing and service options that respect each youth’s sexual orientation and gender identity
  • Ensure inclusive, LGBTQ+ competent health and mental health services to address gaps in care and lack of gender-affirming support.
  • Support legal and policy protections for accurate identity documents to reduce barriers to housing, employment, and services.
  • Offer LGBTQ+ centered programs for education, employment, and life skills to counter systemic discrimination.

By addressing these barriers with solutions that are affirming, flexible, and responsive to each youth’s needs, communities can help LGBTQ+ youth move out of homelessness and toward stability and thriving futures.

Want to make your program more LGBTQ+ affirming? Contact Ali Forney Center for free technical assistance!

The Ali Forney Center is the largest agency dedicated to LGBTQ+ and at-risk homeless youths in the country. They offer free technical assistance through their global programs to build more affirming, inclusive, and specialized services for LGBTQ+ young people.

  • Recipients: Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) providers and organizations serving unhoused youth.
  • Services: Training, Policy Guidance, Program Development, Best Practices

To learn more, contact Nadia Swason, Director of Global Programs at nswanson@aliforneycenter.org.

National Network for Youth is proud to partner with Ali Forney Center to ensure every LGBTQ+ youth person experiencing homelessness has a safe, affirming place to call home with endless opportunities to thrive.

National Network for Youth’s Role

NN4Y works hard to make sure LGBTQ+ youth are celebrated, supported, and never forced to choose between survival and being themselves. As federal funding and policies increasingly create barriers to supporting LGBTQ+ youth, we work hard to make sure that organizations receiving federal dollars continue to provide affirming support, especially for our transgender youth.

NN4Y recognizes that, compared to many other advocacy organizations that rely on federal funding, we are in a privileged position. Because we don’t take federal money, we can advocate boldly and provide affirming support to LGBTQ+ youth, especially transgender youth, without fear of federal retribution.

NN4Y Resources

  • Policy Brief

  • Webinar Recording

View the webinar slides here. This webinar was cohosted with Ali Forney Center.

Learn More

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Immigrant Youth Homelessness

A resource hub designed for service providers and young immigrants experiencing homelessness.

Young Parent Family Homelessness

Nearly half of all youth experiencing homelessness are young parents.

Criminalization of Youth Homelessness

Youth experiencing homelessness often face policies that punish instead of help.

Policy Advocacy

You are powerful — your lived expertise can and should help shape the policies created to prevent and end youth homelessness.