Mind the Gap: The Lack of Resources for the LGBTQ+ Community

By Alena Hansen, Mental Health Advocate at NAMI McHenry County

9.5 million US adults identify as LGBTQ+ according to the UCLA School of Law. Today in the US, there is more visibility for the LGBTQ+ community than ever before, but gaps in services still leave many LGBTQ+ unable to find employment, housing and mental health services.

In 2019, my partner and I had saved up and wanted to settle down. We started looking for a home together. For most people, this would be a joyous occasion in their life. For us, landlord after landlord told us they would not rent to a queer couple. Ultimately, we gave up our search for a home. I felt hopeless and trapped. I had hit a dead end.

One-quarter of all home rentals and sales result in discrimination for queer couples, reports The Fair Housing Centers of Michigan.  What makes preventing this even more challenging is the fact that only twenty-two states and the District of Columbia have laws that attempt to prevent discrimination for queer individuals renting or buying homes. My home state of Illinois is one of those twenty-two, yet my quest for a house was unsuccessful.

Documenting, reporting, and suing landlords who discriminate is not a realistic path for many Americans. A lawsuit would not solve my dilemma of finding a home—it would only hold the discriminators accountable. It was not the solution I wanted.

Nineteen states and the District of Columbia have laws that attempt to prevent against discrimination for transgender individuals renting or buying homes. Despite this, discrimination persists.

Renting and buying is not the only frontier for housing. Shelters often segregate people on the bases of biological sex, making transgender individuals feel invalidated and unsafe in their search for housing. Other shelters are inaccessible to queer folks—sometimes having policies that they will not shelter anyone who identifies as LGBTQ+. I had a queer man tell me he approached one shelter only to be immediately turned away, which he speculates was on the basis of his sexual orientation. A transgender man complained a second shelter wanted to house him with cisgender women. Reports such as these are not uncommon. Media reports are rife with instances of alleged shelter discrimination.

Employment is a key factor in obtaining stable housing; however, employment discrimination is reported at staggering statistics. The UCLA Law Center found about half of LGBTQ+ workers have experienced unfair treatment at work. In particular, LGBTQ+ employees of color face higher rates of denied jobs and verbal harassment. Many LGBTQ+ employees report covering or downplaying their LGBTQ+ identity to avoid harassment or discrimination at work. One transwoman was repeatedly misgendered and discouraged by her employer from presenting feminine. I myself have tried to specifically seek out employers who I feel will be more accepting of me. It’s a short list.

Where do we turn when we are unemployed and unable to find housing? Many LGBTQ+ individuals are unable to fall back on family members in times of housing discrimination or lack of employment because many families are unaccepting. Some families cut all contact and financial support after an individual comes out as LGBTQ+. Alternately, an individual may prefer to be unhoused than to be in a tense home environment. I myself moved out on my own at a young age and am estranged from both of my parents.

LGBTQ+ individuals are just as deserving of support, education and choice as much as anyone else. However, therapy services for LGBTQ+ individuals are lacking. I personally have fired therapists who failed to use gender inclusive language and who failed to understand queer relationships. It is no wonder that LGBTQ+ authority, the Midwest Institute for Sexuality and Gender Diversity, came out with a podcast episode titled “You're Allowed to Fire Your Therapist.”

There are organizations willing to stand in the gap. NAMI McHenry County has recently joined the new LGBTQ+ Advocacy Network in McHenry County, which is working on developing a list of LGBTQ+ affirming providers in the county. In the meantime, families can work directly with trusted local providers to find affirming care. NAMI of McHenry County provides peer-to-peer talk support, support groups, and events that are LGBTQ+ affirming, and is happy to work one-on-one to find other affirming services for our clients. In addition, national organizations such as The Trevor Project are wonderful resources for the LGBTQ+ community.

Some resources are available to the LGBTQ+ community, but not enough. LGBTQ+ individuals like myself are in a position where we must seek out services and spaces designed specifically for us, if we are lucky enough to find those services at all. When looking for a therapist, an employer, or a landlord, I should not have to research and hunt for one that will treat me the same as everyone else. I dream of a future where LGBTQ+ affirming support is built into all common spaces and services.

This October is LGBTQ+ History Month. While I celebrate that there is more recognition for the LGBTQ+ community than ever before, I also look forward to the day where I no longer feel like an afterthought.

Include LGBTQ+ people in decision-making in all industries. Create services with us in mind. We deserve to feel welcome and understood.

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text the crisis line at 988.