Yesterday I had a frantic phone call from one of my colleagues after 5pm. He called me to ask my advice. One of his son's friends, who is openly gay, was kicked out by his parents for being gay. He was now at my colleague's house taking shelter and not knowing where to turn to. As I was the only openly gay person he knew, my colleague called me for resources and advice as to who he should contact. I gave him both the Lesbian and Gay Switchboard number, and guided him to the Albert Kennedy Trust, the charity for homeless or vulnerable LGBT young people. This morning I called him to find out what had happened to the boy, and he told me that he had gone back to his parents' house to try and patch things up. He added that the fact that he did not have a knock at the door at some stupid hour of the morning meant that it "went well".
I asked for more details, both out of concern and curiosity. Apparently the boy came out to his parents a while back, knowing from a very young age that he was gay. They did not take too well to the news, and began to treat him differently to his younger brother, who is straight. His parents' lack of support even stretched to his school life, refusing to turn up to one of his award ceremonies (the boy is apparently very talented, intelligent and a high-flyer at school), and just about ignoring him when they gather for family events, even dinner.
What on earth is this doing to the boy's self-esteem and confidence? It really does astound me when someone's own small-mindedness branches out and touches their own flesh and blood. Is love really that conditional?
Unfortunately there are many stories such as the one I heard yesterday. Parent's not accepting their child for who they are, and throwing them out of the nest at such a young and impressionable young age. There are countless children out there living in fear of what their parents might think of them being gay, and this ultimately pushes them further into the closet. The psychological implications of this are vast, and you don't need to be a professional to recognise or even acknowledge this.
I urge all young people who find themselves in similar situations to ask for help. Don't suffer in silence, and above all, don't end up on the streets because you've been kicked out of your home. Unfortunately we live in a dangerous world, and the cold streets are no place for these children. Never forget, they are children who need our help and guidance. What does it say about you if you are willing to expel them out with nothing just because they have told you that they are gay?
Help is out there for such vulnerable people. Ironically some of it is probably better than the 'help' and 'guidance' they can find at home.
