2019 Issue 5 Sep/Oct - Focus Mid-Tenn Magazine

lgbt youth
KICKED OUT AFTER
COMING OUT
True You TN provides
solutions for LGBT+ youth
by Erica Rains | photo courtesy of Tristan Lowe
Kids are becoming more comfortable with
who they are and coming out at younger
ages, which is a wonderful step forward.
Unfortunately, not all of these teens are being
accepted and, in an alarming number of cases,
are actually being kicked out. True You Tennessee,
a new outreach program in its beginning stages,
will provide resources, care packages and a safe,
nurturing home environment where youth can
heal themselves…while being themselves.
Stephanie Lowe, founder
of this new nonprofit, says
that the organization will
also help reduce the number
of suicides in the LGBTQ
community and help youth
as they age out of the
system to transition into
adulthood. LGBTQ youth
make up as much as 10%
of that population segment
but account for 40% of the
homeless youth community.
“The numbers are insanely
disproportionate,” says Lowe.
“Once a teen lands on
the streets, statistically, we
have 72 hours before they
are willing to participate
in “survival sex” to meet
basic needs such as food or
housing. In fact, 20% of all
homeless youth interviewed
were victims of human
trafficking,” she adds.
Lowe says stats aren’t
much better in foster homes.
Seventy-eight percent report
further abuse in those foster
homes that are supposed to
be their safe havens. “Foster
parents get roughly $30 a
day per child they take. If they
are taking kids for the wrong
reason, i.e. money, there is
nothing to prevent them from
abusing those kids.”
Working with the
community
This is where True You
TN comes in. Lowe and
her board of directors are
working on the paperwork
and looking for a home,
preferably in Rutherford
County. She said it would
help to be available in more
rural areas where there is
even less help.
They are actively pursuing
relationships with church
communities, counselors,
safe advocates and others
passionate about helping
this youth demographic to
be safer, off the streets, and
have access to resources
and support systems that
allow them to be “True You”.
Another hurdle for Lowe
lies in recent state legislation
called the Family First
Prevention Services Act,
in which funding is being
cut for new homes like the
one she plans to open. The
idea is that keeping kids
with families
is better, but
sadly, in the
case of young
people coming
out, those
families don’t
always allow
them to stay.
The good
news is that the state does
recognize that this specific
youth segment needs help
and according to Lowe,
is “super supportive.” She
has had conversations with
the state and she will be
licensed through them.
When all is said and done,
the state will have the
option and ability to move
kids to the True You TN
home. “We are going on an
‘if we build it, they will come’
theory,” says Lowe.
But the help won’t stop
there. The non-profit
has future plans to add a
transitional house for kids that
have aged out
of the system.
Those young
adults still
have an uphill
battle, with
20% of them
becoming
homeless
almost
immediately. “When you are
22 years old, you still need a
family. We can be that family.”
More than just housing
They won’t limit the help to
youth already experiencing
homelessness. They will
also be a resource for youth
Page 26 / focusmidtenn.com / SEP+OCT 2019 / SUCCESS