Colleges across the United States have kicked residential trainees out of their dormitories in an effort to avoid the spread of the coronavirus. However for 19- year-old John, who is transgender and gay, losing student real estate has actually left him with a hard choice: Return into the closet or be forced to reside on the streets.
John, who did not want his name utilized in fear for his safety, stated he is now stuck in a little, rural Kansas town where he constantly gets death threats for his gender and sexual identity. His parents, who he stated are aware of the risks and constant harassment, refuse to use the name and pronouns he passes, and routinely threaten to kick him out if he doesn’t hide his gender identity and sexual preference.
When they believed him of being transgender a few years prior, he said they required him to go to church. They do not want his gender identity to be public since it puts their tasks at risk, he said.
” I don’t know what genuine love feels like. I thought that they love me, at least enough to help me through this,” John informed CBS News.
- ” It’s been abuse”: LGBTQ health care suffers amidst coronavirus
Those who are LGBTQ are more at threat than the general population of having self-destructive ideas or trying suicide, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, and almost half of transgender adults have thought about suicide in the previous year.
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” It just actually, really sucks to have to come back and battle with psychological illness and having to essentially go back to the war zone,” he said.
According to the report “Where We Call House: LGBT People in Rural America,” rural states are more likely to have discriminatory laws and less likely to provide transgender-inclusive securities.
John wants to leave house but can’t afford it.
Pervasive discrimination has added to a homeless crisis within the LGBTQ community, particularly for youth and young adults.
According to the National Union for the Homeless, approximately one out of 4 homeless LGBTQ youth have actually been required from their houses since of their sexual and/or gender identity, and a majority experienced household abuse or have a history of mental health issues.
Once they are homeless, studies reveal they face increased rates of harassment and sexual attack, both on the streets and in shelters. With the continuous coronavirus pandemic, they are also likely to be more vulnerable to COVID-19 since of the lack of readily available shelter, and many, including John, suffer from persistent health problems.
If John gets tossed out of his family house before he has the money to leave, he told CBS News he will have no option however to reside in his vehicle up until his college enables students to return. He tried to get approval to remain in his dormitory, however he said they will just let student workers do so. He stated he has no household he can turn to, and when push pertains to push, he is uncertain if his buddies will be willing to take him in.
” It’s really, truly scary,” he stated, “… and I don’t wish to be a problem on someone else.” He has no idea when he’ll be able to return to school.
Though the pandemic has added another type of hazard to the security of the LGBTQ community, Ezie worried that the issues they’re dealing with are not new.
” All of the groups and all the communities that were susceptible, that were disposed of, that were ignored in America prior to this crisis are the ones that are going to continue to suffer and suffer most tremendously,” said Ezie. “Each and every single demographic that was generally being impacted by structural inequality prior to this epidemic is feeling the brunt of this crisis to a rapid degree.”
