LGBTQ+ people experience homelessness at higher rates than the general population but, until now, there was little clarity about which groups within these communities are most impacted.
Dr Gene Lim, Research Officer in the Australian Research Centre for Sex, Health and Society, is working to address this gap.
“LGBTQ+ people have historically been left out of social and economic opportunities that are important for protecting against housing insecurity. But the LGBTQ+ community isn’t a monolith, and these challenges affect different groups more acutely than others,” he explains.
His research shows homelessness is more common among people who are trans and non-binary, and who are bisexual and pansexual. It also occurs at higher rates for people with a disability, a multiracial background, and those who have experienced family or intimate partner violence.
Dr Lim says his findings indicate that experiences of homelessness aren’t the same across the LGBTQ+ community.
“Identities other than sexuality and gender identity are probably important factors that shape pathways towards homelessness and, very likely, inform the experience of homelessness itself.”
Knowing which groups are most affected, he says, is essential for designing policy and support services that reach those who need help the most.
“Interventions should be designed with the expectation that they’ll be used by people from these groups.”
