Over 20% of homeless youth in Canada identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer or Two-Spirit (LGBTQ2S). Egale is organizing an OUT at Night “spend a night outdoors” fundraiser on May 30th to help get kids shelter.
In recent years, there has been extensive research in the area of youth homelessness both in Canada and internationally. We have seen a great deal of initiative towards the movement to end youth homelessness. However, there is a lack of knowledge about the problem of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, queer, questioning, and 2-spirited (LGBTQ2) youth homeless in Canada. What we do know is that LGBTQ2 youth are overrepresented in the homeless youth population. LGBTQ2 youth are at a higher risk of homelessness due to homophobia and transphobia in the home and they often face the same discrimination in the shelter system. [The Homeless Hub]
LGBTQ2 youth are at a higher risk of homelessness due to homophobia and transphobia in the home and they often face the same discrimination in the shelter system.
OUT at Night
Egale’s OUT at Night is a national fundraising and awareness campaign to engage Canadians on the crisis of LGBTQ2S youth homelessness and to support Egale’s work towards a related national strategy. The campaign invites participants across the country to sleep outside on the night of May 30th, briefly experiencing the struggles that over 6000 LGBTQ2S youth experience in Canada every year.
People across the country are encouraged to sponsor, pledge and participate to help kick-start Egale’s goal of raising $10 million over the next five years to fuel this national strategy. Participants will be asked to sleep outside, whether in their backyards, on their patios, in community spaces, or by joining others at one of the Egale-hosted events in Calgary and Toronto.
The campaign is supported by many celebrities and public figures, including politicians and business leaders, many of whom are showing their support by participating in a series of Public Service Announcements. The PSAs will air on television thanks to media partners Bell Media (CTV, CP24), Shaw Media (Global, HGTV), CBC, and Rogers (Cityline, Sportsnet), and through several local cable and specialty channels. All of these, and many more, can also be found online at www.outatnight.ca and through various social media channels.
“Too often, coming out means getting kicked out. We launched this campaign because we want people across the country to start talking about this issue because it’s prevalent in every single community.” — Helen Kennedy, Egale executive director, in The Toronto Star
The OUT at Night campaign creative team
The Route 11 team (from left): Peter Lilly, Sam Sferrazza, Kurtis Chen, Ryan Tremblay. Image by Chris Chapman.
Egale turned to a diverse team of creative collaborators — Route Eleven — headed by Ryan Tremblay, who was at one time a homeless youth living in and out of shelters. Route Eleven produced public service announcements and creative content for OUT at Night.
“This issue is picking up a lot of steam, both in Canada and internationally. People are starting to realize that queer homeless youth need their own space, they need a safe space because they’re often not safe in the current shelter system and they have specific needs that are very difficult for the current shelter system to meet.” — Ryan Tremblay in The Toronto Star
Ryan Tremblay is raising funds for OUT at Night by participating in the event. You can find his page here.
We speak with Egale executive director Helen Kennedy and with Route Eleven’s Ryan Tremblay.
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video, twitter
audio | interview with Helen Kennedy @egalecanada & Ryan Tremblay @ryanblay #OUTatNight2015 http://t.co/HqzIrU5iN2 pic.twitter.com/5Sl0VaHrQH
— People First Radio (@peoplefirstrad) May 15, 2015
Join #OUTatNight2015 Ambassador @marktewks & support #LGBTQ2S homeless youth. Register http://t.co/qSiRXQqJPs pic.twitter.com/OsJzW6CG4A
— Egale Canada (@egalecanada) May 11, 2015
Join #OUTatNight2015 Ambassador @RobertJGant & support #LGBTQ2S homeless youth. Register http://t.co/qSiRXQqJPs pic.twitter.com/gtH7kw4Eh4
— Egale Canada (@egalecanada) May 13, 2015
