Homeless crossdresser or trans...

[Devi SM]

What a sadness. Today I saw a homeless very dirt crossdresser, probably a trans woman because, would be a male crossdresser be a homeless?
It was obvious she was mental ill....
I almost cry...

[Micki_Finn]

If they were mentally ill and homeless, they might have just been wearing whatever they could get their hands on, and not necessarily trans or CD.

[Devi SM]

Micky, unfortunately I couldn't get a pic but I wouldn't post, but it was a person with lbd but with a with old dirt white workout kind of gym pant, obviously to big, barefoot, with tinted blond hair but uncared, very wide shoulders without hips or thicker tights.
For me she was mental ill...but someday was a man...

[RADER]

What i find sad is there is no agency around that can help her.
We give billion away in Foreign aid, but can or will not help a homeless person.
My American Legion each months helps out a homeless Vet. It is just nice
that someone is trying to help the Vets that fought for our country.
Rader

[char GG]

That is very sad. We were in CA recently, and saw many homeless in LA. One homeless lady (I believe she was female) wore heels, pushing a shopping cart of worldly possessions on the sidewalk.

I can't speak for every city but, as far as help for the homeless in our local large city, there are many helpful agencies and homeless shelters. The problem with the shelters is, there are rules that the residents have to follow (such as being inside the shelter by a certain time of night, no drugs or alcohol). Apparently some don't like the rules or have broken the rules; so they sleep on the street (this was told to me by a security person at the shelter). There is also a place near the shelters that have dinners every evening for a $1 a meal (no restrictions on the meals). Help is supplied by volunteers. Some may be mentally ill, though, and don't know where to find help, meals, or shelter.

[alwayshave]

Devi, I live in the city and have seen it several times.

[April Rose]

It is a national problem, in every city and state, both urban and rural, and entwined in economic policy, attitudes toward mental health and the healthcare system. As such it requires solutions at the policy level. Which means that, due to site policy we are not going to hash it out here.

[Tracii G]

I'm no saint but I give extra meat to the shelter that feeds the homeless.
I buy canned items and things like crackers,chips,cookies etc and donate that to the shelter.
If everyone just pitched in a little many more homeless could be fed and cared for.
Don't take this as tooting my own horn but I have done this for years just never mentioned it here because its kind of a personal thing for me.

[Aunt Kelly]

It is a national problem, in every city and state, both urban and rural, and entwined in economic policy, attitudes toward mental health and the healthcare system. As such it requires solutions at the policy level. Which means that, due to site policy we are not going to hash it out here.

Like truth, ignorance is apolitical.

It is no secret that a large percentage of the homeless population are people suffering from mental illness and/or substance abuse. It is also no secret that in times where "austerity" is in fashion, politically, one of the first things to be cut is support for community mental health programs. The result is as predictable as night following day. Those who had been successfully managed in those community programs no longer are. Without support and counseling, they go off their meds and are no longer able to function effectively, ending up on the street. The worst cases wind up needing in-patient care, something that is fabulously expensive compared to the community programs that were axed. As a paramedic, I saw it first hand. My ex-wife was a mental health professional. A large part of her job was dealing with those worst cases. We see this cycle repeated more than once, when well-meaning but ignorant people made decisions about things they didn't fully understand. That's not a political observation.

[sometimes_miss]

I work in an inner city e.r. and see folks like that all the time. One of the problems is, they often refuse help. The most we can give them is a meal, a shower and some clean clothing. Many homeless are alcoholics to some extent, have ADHD, and also have very poor impulse control. Nearly all of them were abused as kids and never learned how to deal with adversity, which is why they ended up homeless. And last we come to pride; I think they just believe that all they need is one good break and they'll be able to get on their feet again, but the reality is that they don't have the coping mechanisms in place to stay there and usually eventually wind up right back living on the street again. I've been trying to make a difference for these types of people now for over 40 years, and in most cases, there just is no answer.

[Tracii G]

I have met some that were of a very sound mind and just chose to live on the streets because they didn't want to be bound to a house or apt they had to pay for or any bills for that matter.
I met one lady in her 50s that gave up her home after her husband died then she lost her job.
Very articulate and well educated too.Could she work I asked oh sure she said it was her choice not to.
She chose to have no responsibilities. I had to honor their choices.
Some are mentally challenged and some are just drunks and dope heads.
They are still human beings and worth helping IMO so thats what I do.

[Debs]

Omg, sorry but would have taken him/her to the nearest b & b, paid them up for at least 3 days, so this poor person could have a chance to get his/her head together

[docrobbysherry]

Debs, do u do that every time u see a homeless person? In Orange County, south of LA? You'd be spending every minute of every day carting someone and their shopping basket mountain of possessions to a shelter or b&b!:doh:

[Vickie_CDTV]

Sadly, you can't help the people who refuse help.

We have had trans homeless where I live, and a few who suffered from severe mental illness (years ago one even made national media a number of times and was sadly a bit notorious.) I know people who have done outreach to them but they refused any help. The greater trans community was told to just leave them be for everyone's safety.

[Stephanie47]

The "homeless" problem is notorious in Seattle. I put "homeless" in brackets because, yes those in the streets do not have a home, but, the vast majority when offered services refuse. For a long time Seattle's city council have not acknowledged the issue is really an addiction problem. In my city which is south of Seattle an encampment of 53 was moved out from under a freeway, offered services, and, only three took up an offer of assistance. One cannot render assistance if the person refuses assistance. This week a news report focusing on the issue of immigration pointed out there are over seven million jobs in the USA which are going unfilled. In my area the job offerings in the past were on corporate printed signs which basically told people to apply on line. To me that was usually an indication the company was cherry picking applicants. Now, every where I go there are signs on the doors of Target, Wal-Mart, Dollar Store, etc that are hand written for jobs at that location. The minimum wage in my state is at least $12/hour with some municipalities more.

I pass many people who really should not be on the streets pushing shopping carts with their belongings. Some are obviously disabled or elderly and incapable of working. But, many others are young holding signs at freeway off ramps and major intersections. Others are middle age. Too many cannot pass a drug test nor are interested in abandoning their lifestyle.

One of my vet friend's son fell into the drug culture, but, wanted out of it. He helped the son find rehab, paid for it, and, finally the son is gainfully employed in a very high paying job and bought a house.

Another vet friend encountered a disabled aged vet (71) living in his car off and on for the past ten years. He wanted to work and get off the streets. A local big box store that needed workers hired this disabled vet (diabetes and other issues) to retrieve shopping carts in its parking lot. He was finally able to get an apartment with the assistance of the VA. I wonder why the job at the big box home improvement store could not attract a young 20's or 30's year old man or woman off the street.

I never want to paint everyone with a broad stroke. However, these two individuals wanted to change their circumstances. The courts never interfere with a person's right to do what he or she wants unless they are injurious to themselves or others. I cannot figure out why living in squalid conditions and addicted to drugs is NOT injurious to self.

The problem is immense. The answers are not simple.