“The least loved, that’s what I was”: A qualitative analysis of the pathways to homelessness by LGBTQ+youth
Philippe-Benoît Côté, Martin Blais
Abstract
Little information is available regarding how young lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) individuals enter homelessness. This qualitative study documents the variations in LGBTQ + youth’s pathways to homelessness via 16 interviews with youths aged 17–25 years. All LGBTQ + youths reported having lived in a family environment marked by neglect, which had led to the loss of self-confidence and trust in their families. These experiences of family neglect constitute the starting point of three different trajectories toward homelessness: (1) being evicted by families that perpetuate heterocisnormative victimization; (2) aging out of youth protection services without a safety net upon exiting; and (3) fleeing from bullying at school in search of freedom and support. Results show the importance of developing homelessness prevention strategies for LGBTQ + youth that consider the heterocisnormativity experienced in their different life environments.