Heroes Needed

Homelessness

It is estimated that more than 500,000 LGBT youth in the United States were homeless in 2007.

3 to 5% of U.S. population identifies as gay or lesbian, yet up to 40% of homeless youth identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender. (NGLTF Jan. 2007)

HIV

From 2001-2006, HIV diagnoses were extremely high among males between the ages of 13 and 24, with an annual increase of 12.4 percent, compared to 1.5 percent for men overall.

The annual increase was even higher among young African-American men who have sex with men at nearly 15 percent.

source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/27/health/research/27hiv.html

Substance Abuse

90% of HIV+ MSM respondents stated that the use of Crystal Meth was to enhance sexual pleasure. Other reasons included self-medication of negative feelings associated with HIV-positive serostatus.

The culture of methamphetamine use provides a social network―a community―for persons who feel like outsiders. (CDC Jan. 2007)

Rates of reported alcohol problems are higher for lesbians (35%) than for heterosexual women (7%).

Suicide

Transexuals may be at higher risk than homosexuals and much higher risk than the general population to suicidal behavior. 53% of transexuals surveyed had made suicide attempts. (OutProud)

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