Morning Brief: Unhoused LGBTQ+ Youth, Redistricting, And Unsanitized Comedy

Good morning, L.A. It’s Nov. 9.

Most Angelenos are well aware of the housing crisis facing our city. But L.A.’s unhoused LBGTQ+ youth face a specific set of problems.

In the first of a three-part series, my colleague Ethan Ward reports that nearly 36% of unhoused young people in 2020 were gay or lesbian. Many are on the streets because their families kicked them out, like Tryron Ramsey.

Ramsey, 22, is now established in an apartment in West Hollywood, but at 19, his grandfather told him to leave their house in the Florence-Firestone neighborhood after finding Grindr (a popular gay dating app) messages on his phone.

“I didn’t have nowhere to go,” Ramsey said. “I had to sleep outside. I never thought I would sleep outside.”

Ramsey was one of the lucky ones; he found a bed at a local shelter. But overall, there aren’t enough beds in the city at shelters that cater to LBGTQ+ youth, there are no all-gender facilities for people who identify as trans or non-binary, and many shelters have rules — like prohiliting the use of drugs or alcohol — that keep young people from seeking them out.

“Our LGBTQ youth who are shunned sometimes by their own family members also have a high percentage of homelessness if we don't assist them,” said L.A. City Council President Nury Martinez last year. “We absolutely have to do everything in our power to make sure these young people don't end up on the streets.”

Keep reading for more on what’s happening in L.A., and stay safe out there.

What Else You Need To Know Today

• The L.A. City Council's ad hoc committee on redistricting began considering 38 proposed changes to the current district map.
• L.A. District Attorney George Gascón is facing scrutiny for reducing the sentence of a man charged with murder at the age of 17. 
• L.A. Unified held the district's first ever college fair specifically geared toward Black students. 
• The U.S. Congress passed a long-awaited infrastructure bill Friday that includes $9.5 billion dollars to upgrade California's public transit systems.

Before You Go ... This Week's Event Pick: Bianca Del Rio's Unsanitized Comedy Tour

Bianca Del Rio performs two shows at The Theatre at Ace Hotel this week.

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Matt Crockett

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The drag queen and comedian Bianca Del Rio ends the U.S. dates of her worldwide tour with two nights at the Theatre at the Ace Hotel in downtown. The winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race made history on her last worldwide comedy tour as the first drag queen to headline Carnegie Hall and Wembley Arena. And she sold out both.

Or, you could: Listen to stories from the heady days of 1980s rock. Tune in to a celebration of Native American Heritage Month. Commemorate veterans who’ve served our country in war or peacetime. And more.