Mexican student’s apartment becomes a second home for LGBTQ

By Eduard Ribas i Admetlla

Mexico City, July 26 (EFE).- An apartment of a student in Mexico City has become a second home for Mexican LGBTQ youth who have been forced into homelessness because they are gay.

Ricardo had not as such planned to open the doors of his humble apartment for the sexual minorities.

But he set on the endeavor eight months ago when he began supporting people living on the street.

“I found many LGTB people are (homeless). It is something we do not pay attention to. They go unnoticed, they do not exist,” the 27-year- old said.

The small apartment, in a large neighborhood on Calle Sol of the populous Guerrero neighborhood, is abuzz with life, laughter, and music played by those who previously had nowhere to sleep.

“We try to make it a very normal life, not like in shelters that have very strict rules and schedules and cannot go out. The idea is that they get used to this life,” said the communication student.

He has sheltered Vanessa, Carlos, and Pablo in the house and has also been helping others on the streets with food, blankets, and emotional support.

Jonathan and Oscar help him in literacy and psychological therapy tasks.

Vanessa and Carlos lie curled up on a makeshift bed.

The two met ten years ago as they were looking for some drinks.

She saved her from an assault. That “made her fall in love with her more,” the 45-year-old trans woman recalled.

The couple shares stories of rejection.

Vanessa’s family did not accept her sexual orientation.

Carlos fled the violence of her stepfather.

She was in jail over some wicked thing. She returned to the homeless street.

After meeting Ricardo, they began helping the people living on the streets in the Buenavista neighborhood, where many trans women are forced into prostitution and exposed to violence.

In 2020 alone, there were 79 murders of LGTB people in Mexico, more than half of them trans femicides.

Vanessa has moved away from prostitution because clients “take advantage” of the addicts on the street and offer them drugs instead of money.

“We just need a helping hand to motivate us because not all of us are bad,” she said.