Please join us for Transpositive on KBOO Community Radio on Tuesday, March 5th as we talk with Katie Cox of the Equi Institute and Debra Porta of Pride Northwest about a new report on how Portland's houselessness system is failing LGBTQ+ people.
A coalition of Portland nonprofits that serve or advocate for unhoused LGBTQAI2S+ people, including leading LGBTQAI2S+ groups like Basic Rights Oregon and Pride Northwest, today released a first-of-its-kind report on houselessness among transgender and queer people in the Portland area.
Commissioned by the Joint Office of Homeless Services (JOHS), the report comes as anti-LGBTQAI2S+ legislation in many states is causing an estimated 130,000-260,000 trans and queer people to relocate to safer states like Oregon. Many members of this population face barriers to housing. However, the new report found that, “despite Oregon and Portland’s Pride Flag–waving reputation, our community is not well prepared to welcome these newcomers.”
It highlighted numerous gaps in the houseless-services system, including that: Data on sexual orientation is not collected as part of houselessness data, even though national data shows lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer people are over twice as likely as straight people to experience houselessness.
There are no LGBTQAI2S+ culturally specific emergency shelters in the Portland region. In addition, many local shelters are gendered (i.e., designated for men or women), which can result in discrimination and a lack of safety for trans and non-binary clients.
Despite the over-representation of LGBTQAI2S+ people among people experiencing houselessness, there are not enough culturally specific or responsive houseless services for this population. For example, JOHS only funds one queer culturally specific organization to provide housing case management.
The report makes a number of recommendations to address these gaps, calling on policymakers to build capacity among LGBTQAI2S+ service-providers and hold mainstream providers accountable for serving LGBTQAI2S+ people in an affirming manner. “With thousands of trans and queer people potentially seeking refuge in Oregon and adding to existing demand, policymakers need to think much more about the unique needs of our communities when they think about housing and homelessness,” said Seth Johnstone, a coalition member and manager of the Transgender Justice Program at Basic Rights Oregon.
The coalition that produced the report, collectively known as the LGBTQAI2S+ Housing Collaborative, includes Basic Rights Oregon, Black & Beyond the Binary Collective. Cascade AIDS Project, Friendly House, the Marie Equi Institute, Pride Northwest, Quest Center for Integrative Health, and Rahab’s Sisters.
Transpositive is a biweekly program in Portland exploring themes important to those who identify as Transgender, Gender Non-Binary, and Gender Non-Conforming. Transpositive tries to connect listeners with the ongoing activist, arts, culture, and dialogue happening in Portland and beyond. Make your voice heard! Transpositive PDX is open to new and experienced programmers, guests, and events you want our community to know about. We are an open collective. Anyone who identifies as trans, gender non-binary, gender fluid is welcome to be part of our collective after completing some basic free radio training.
For more information contact Emma at transpositivepdx@gmail.com
Transpositive PDX on KBOO 90.7FM or online at KBOO.FM
like us on Facebook: facebook.com/transpositivepdx
Katie Cox (Marie Equi Institute): (971) 601-4055 / katie@equi-institute.org
Pride Northwest: http://www.pridenw.org
- KBOO