Write to your local MP
You can do this however you like but you might want to refer to this guide from the Trans Legal Project:
At akt, we have always been — and will always be — here for LGBTQ+ young people facing homelessness. That includes trans young people, many of whom come to us having been rejected by their families or communities, simply for being who they are.
In the days since last week’s Supreme Court ruling, we’ve seen the fear and distress the response to it is causing among the young people we support. For many, this is adding just another layer of uncertainty to their lives.
Why the ruling matters through a housing lens
We are still digesting its full implications, but it’s clear that this ruling could make it even harder to secure a safe, appropriate place to live for trans young people who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, or living in hostile environments.
Imagine supporting a young trans woman with nowhere to go — and being told, on the basis of the ruling, that an all-male hostel is the only appropriate option. If that placement is refused because it’s unsafe, then there’s a risk that a local authority could claim that they no longer have a duty to house that young person.
The same logic could apply to young people fleeing familial domestic violence. If trans young people are denied access to refuge spaces that match their gender identity, they may be left without any safe alternative.
All this could mean more sofa surfing, more staying in unsafe places and more rough sleeping for a group of young people who, as our recent report There’s No Place Like Home shows, are already at much greater risk of homelessness than their peers. That is a terrifying prospect.
What akt is doing
This week, I raised these concerns in Westminster at the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Ending Homelessness, where we were invited to share our experiences of supporting homeless LGBTQ+ young people.
We also added our name to the LGBT+ Sector Leaders Statement on the Supreme Court Ruling, joining nearly 200 organisations in standing up for our community.
We will continue to work alongside partners across the homelessness and LGBTQ+ sectors to amplify the voices of the young people we serve.
