Homeless LGBT youth are so numerous in large cities across the United States, from New York City to Portland, Oregon and everywhere between. There will be a new home for wandering LGBTers in NYC soon all thanks to a golden girl.
In early 2017, homeless LGBT youth in New York City will be thanking late "Golden Girls" star Bea Arthur for being a friend when an 18-bed shelter operated by the Ali Forney Center opens in the East Village.
According to DNAInfo, The Bea Arthur Residence is slated for completion in February of 2017 and is expected to be open for business shortly after completion. The project is named after the beloved actress and gay icon who died in 2009.
Arthur, who had long been a friend of the Ali Forney Center, bequeathed the organization $300,000 in her will. In her later years in 2005, she performed at a benefit for the then struggling LGBT youth service group.
"I'm very, very involved in charities involving youth. These kids at the Ali Forney Center are literally dumped by their families because of the fact that they are lesbian, gay or transgender — this organization really is saving lives," Arthur said in an article published prior to her passing.
The building, located at 222 East 13th Street is an existing structure that has been undergoing a gut-renovation since July of 2015. When completed, the site will provide beds, on-site counseling, and case management to the city's homeless LGBT youth.
The Ali Forney Center is the nation's largest organization dedicated to homeless LGBT youth, AFC is committed to providing these at-risk people with safe, dignified, nurturing environments where their needs for housing and support can be met, and where they can begin to put their lives back together. AFC is also dedicated to promoting awareness of the plight of homeless LGBT youth in the United States with the goal of generating responses on local and national levels from government funders, foundations, and the LGBT community. – edgemedianetwork.com
You can't take it with you, so leave it behind to help the community. We thank you Bea!
- On a single night in January 2015 the New York City mayor’s office identified a total of 317 unstably housed individuals. (CIDI 2015)*
- This included youth in:
- Shelters
- Drop-in centers
- Transitional living programs
- Church beds
- Friend’s place or couch surfing
- Hospitals, jails, juvenile detention, mental health facilities, group homes
- Temporary places where they traded sex or were forced to have sex for shelter
- Of these individuals:
- Age:
- 4% are under 18
- 44% are 18-20
- 52% are 21-24
- Gender:
- 53% male
- 38% female
- 1% trans-female
- 2% trans-male
- Race/ethnicity:
- 38% African American
- 25% Hispanic
- 8% White
- 20% Two or more races
- Sexual orientation:
- 51% straight
- 44% LGBTQ
Thank you Bea. I Know she
Thank you Bea. I Know she lived thru the 50's as I did when being gay was a crime. I was thrown out of public school at 15yrs old because I was gay. This was 1958. We've come so far. Thank you again.
She will be remembered not
She will be remembered not only for her great acting abilities but also a true golden heart. Hats off to Bea Arthur!
Bea Arthur was a amazing
Bea Arthur was a amazing actress, This is an amazing gift that she has left Her legacy with live on for years to come
What a wonderful lasting
What a wonderful lasting legacy left by the great Bea Arthur, a missed actress.
Is this shelter open to ALL
Is this shelter open to ALL youths,,,, or is entry restricted to only LGBT?
As altruistic as a shelter
As altruistic as a shelter open to 'all' youth sounds, sometimes LGBT youth need a safe space because other shelters that are open to 'all' can include youth who will harass LGBT youth. That is part of why designated shelters are created.
This is amazing why should it
This is amazing why should it be open to all youths?! LGBT Youth housing has been a huge issue in many different countries for years now. Imagine what it would be like to come out of the closet, be kicked out your home, and be under the legal age to work. Where do you go? There's the streets or sex work. That's it. This is why it's so important this be ONLY for LGBT youth.
What a nice thing to do.
What a nice thing to do. Miss her and the sit-com. It was so uplifting.
This is a blessing and I hope
This is a blessing and I hope that the organization will be well run and will support LBGT youth and provided valuable services. We are all in this world to be loved and accepted for who we are. Thank you Bea Arthur, and thank you NYC, may the rest of the country keep up with your proactive protection of LBGT youth.
Why in this day are there so
Why in this day are there so many in NYC? The whole issue didn't exist 50 years ago.
Really? You’re an idiot.
Really? You're an idiot.
I sort of have to agree with
I sort of have to agree with Anonymous. Not an idiot, maybe just unaware.
your the reason hate breeds
your the reason hate breeds,instead of passing along education you become the idiot of using name calling instead of reaching out an educating others. so many of the worlds problems could be solved if ppl took the time out to educate,be kind and spread the word. instead disgusting ppl like u treat others like garbage and refuse to teach!!! you are the problem,never the solution!!! you're exactly the problem and reason we need so much help understanding. simply talking to those from different generations and times need just to be taught!!! instead of insulting try and be the solution. it's a shame ppl like you spread so much hate!!!!
While this deals with people
While this deals with people of colour being continually expected to teach people about various issues and not specifically LGBT, here is a link that explains why sometimes people just say "nope, i can't go through this again, i'm tired of being your own very special episode MY ENTIRE LIFE."
http://www.salon.com/2015/04/14/black_people_are_not_here_to_teach_you_what_so_many_white_americans_just_cant_grasp_partner/
Also good on you for a derail so classic it is included on the derailing for dummies site.
http://www.derailingfordummies.com/derail-using-education/
So basically, YOU are part of the problem, anon. YOU apparently have the spoons to explain (don't think i didn't notice that you didn't), and it is ridiculous that you expect everyone else to be constant teachers.
Back OT, this has always been a problem, in fact it might have been worse in the past before when there was less acceptance in society for LGBT people. It only looks like it is a new problem because people didn't look or count before. I'm glad some of the most vulnerable are getting the help they need in an evironment designed around their own unique problems.
People only started coming
People only started coming out of the closet really within the last 50 years. So LGBT homeless youth are part of that experience. Also because people were not coming out of the closet, it was not as political and socially charged as a larger whole. People still were judgy on a more individual level and of course if you look at the Bible, people were stoning/murdering people for not conforming to religious social norms.
1969 was the stonewall riots. Police harassment was at the core of that obviously.
Why are these youths homeless
Why are these youths homeless? Why don't they go home instead of making themselves vulnerable. If I left my HOME I'd have no where to go, so I'd stay at home where I came from. Many times, homelessness is a choice at this age and an adventure. It sounds like a huge slumber party.
Is this a real question? It
Is this a real question? It's because many have been kicked out of their homes because they are LGBT or they run away before put into conversion programs or they run away from being beaten because of their sexuality.
I would suggest educating
I would suggest educating yourself before you post ignorant comments. Homeless isn't always a choice but a form of punishment or domination. I myself was put out by my family at 15 because I did not conform to their religious beliefs, and let me tell you now it was not even close to a bad slumber party, it is unimaginable. It must be nice to always have a home to go back to, some of us never will have that luxury.
thank you for being a friend.
thank you for being a friend. all around and back again. your heart is true. your a pal and a confident. and if you threw a party and invited everyone you knew. you would see the greatest gift of all from me and the card inside would say thank you for being a friend
God Bless you Bea Arthur for
God Bless you Bea Arthur for helping the LGBT teenagers of today. Thanks for all your help-you will always be remembered. Your Golden Girls I watch every single night-I am now a Golden Girl too-but have always love your show-May your legacy for these kids help them and last forever- Barb
What an amazing gift. Your
What an amazing gift. Your heart of gold shines on.
Truly, thanks for being a
Truly, thanks for being a friend, Ms. Arthur!!
God Bless all those that are
God Bless all those that are involved with this wonderful & exciting new development for the LGBT people that will look for this service in years to come – Thank you Bea Arthur for all her years of service to the world and her legacy for all to share!