As a teen I could NOT hangout in the neighborhood where I lived and be out and proud. It was just plain dangerous to do so. While I'm not crazy about us self-segregating, finding other people like me on Christopher St, in the West Village of NYC, was a godsend. However, these days GLBT teenagers can't catch a break in their own gayborhoods.
V, posted recently about folks over at Boystown in Chicago having issues with the young, mostly kids of color, hanging about at night. It seems the elders see a connection between increased criminal activity and the yungins. (Click here for the post)
And, Michael Musto blogged several weeks ago, about Christopher St. businesses and residents are having issues with the yungins, again mostly kids of color, that are allegedly engaging in scandalous behaviors in the neighborhood.
GLBT kids are extremely vulnerable members of our community. It concerns me that these kids are being portrayed as dangerous. What they need is for us older folks to be more empathetic to this stage in their lives.
There has to be a way that we can create, in partnership with the yungins, safe public spaces for them to socialize.
