Washington, D.C. — This week, Reps. Gwen Moore (D-WI) and Mark Pocan (D-WI) introduced the Runaway and Homeless Youth Inclusion Act, which would prohibit federal programs serving runaway and homeless youth from discriminating against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, or LGBT, homeless young people. If signed into law, the bill would also promote data-collection processes to help policymakers better understand LGBT youth homelessness. In response, the Center for American Progress’s Director of the LGBT Research and Communications Project, Laura E. Durso, issued the following statement:
Shockingly, LGBT youth make up an average of 40 percent of all homeless young people. These young people face a higher risk of rejection and abuse in their homes, in their schools, and on the streets than their heterosexual and non-transgender peers. For LGBT children and young adults left without safe homes, life on the street is dangerous, and the future may seem bleak. So, it is encouraging that Congress is taking action to ensure that federal programs serving runaway and homeless youth meet the needs of all vulnerable children and young adults. This bill offers hope that significant progress toward brightening the futures of LGBT homeless youth is on the horizon.
The following experts are available to comment on the Runaway and Homeless Youth Inclusion Act:
- Laura E. Durso, Director, LGBT Research and Communications Project
- Andrew Cray, Policy Analyst, LGBT Research and Communications Project
To speak with a CAP expert, please contact Madeline Meth at [email protected] or 202.741.6277.
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