One in Four

I held his head in the crux of my shoulder, while he sobbed.  His face seared with tears of anger.  Seconds before he stood before me shouting and in complete distain spat on me.  He was seething with anger.  In that moment of outburst I represented the Church and her God.  He was rejected for being gay by his parents and abandoned on the streets as a young teenager.  As a homeless young adult, he still struggled to survive.  The unthinkable had happened to him.  He was abandoned by the ones who were to love him first and always; his parents.  And it was done in the name of my Christian God.

This is an issue I encounter daily while working with the homeless population in San Francisco, CA.  The LGBT community accounts for one-third of the total homeless population in San Francisco and up to 40% of homeless youth and young adults (18 - 24 years).  According to several studies of this population 26% of gay teens were kicked out of their homes when they came out to their parents.  That's one in four gay youth. In addition, more than one third of youth who are homeless or in the care of social services experienced a violent physical assault when they came out. 

I chose to be a consecrated religious because I wanted to become a visible sign of God's love, a love worth consecrating ones life too.  This symbol of God's love is found in the image of my religious habit.  However, what should be a sign of love and compassion has often become a symbol for prejudice, discrimination and judgment for the LGBT community.  I do not use these words lightly to describe my habit, but it's a question I am continually faced with, "Should I wear my habit today?"

Earlier, my young friend who had verbally attacked me, suddenly became gentle.  In a moment of recognition he saw within me the same scared gay boy within him.  "I'm sorry," he said.  He found the grace to love, where his own family had failed to love.  He then wept on my shoulder as I asked for his forgiveness.  Together we wept for the spiritual and religious abuse he, others and I have suffered in the name of the Christian God of Love.

In 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 we are told what love is:  "Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in truth. It always protects, always trust, always hopes, always perseveres."  Does this sound like the type of love that would ask someone to abandon their own child?

My brothers and sisters, God is love, and we are all fearfully and wonderfully made in the image and likeness of God. When we chose to love we reflect the true image of God.  When we chose to be less than loving, especially towards our LGBT neighbors and children, we fail to reflect our true nature and we rob God's children of their dignity and their right to be loved and to love in return. God is Love (1 John 4:8) and to deny another to love, is to deny the God of Love. Can there be any greater sin towards our children?

"Can a woman forget her nursing child and have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget, but I will not forget you" (Isaiah 49:15).  Sadly our LGBT youth to often know that the answer is yes.  They can and have been forgotten by the ones who were called to love them first and always; their mothers and fathers.  And they are led to believe that God has forgotten them too because of their sexuality.  A sexuality that is not chosen, but innate to them.  Again, can there be any greater sin towards our children?

What will be our response to our LGBT homeless youth?

Peace and All Good,
Brother Son and Sister Moon

For More Information:

Download the recent national report on "The State of Homelessness in America in 2015".  The National Alliance to End Homelessness reports that up to 40% of homeless youth are LGBT.