Cyndi Lauper, she's so unusual -- that hasn't changed since she released her debut album of the same name in 1983, right? Well, guess what? Cyndi Lauper is so unusual that she just went and put her money where her awesomely loud mouth is and opened a shelter for homeless Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender youth. She was apparently moved to do so in her hometown, after she found out that 40 percent of the homeless youth in NYC identified as LGBT -- a shocking statistic, we're sure you'll agree.
Cyndi, we applaud you. We applaud you because according to
statistics, 20 percent of the nation's homeless are part of the LGBT
community (while the general youth population is only 3-5 percent LGBT).
In addition, according to the National Coalition for the Homeless,
homeless LGBT youth have a far higher suicide rate than their hetero
counterparts (62 percent versus 29 percent) and are over seven times more likely to
experience sexual violence on the streets than straight youths.
Of course, any young person forced to live on the streets should be a
concern to all of us, but the fact of the matter is, gay children are
still being victimized: in their schools, in their homes and in their
communities. As Michele "If you're involved in the gay and lesbian lifestyle, it's
personal bondage, personal despair and personal enslavement" Bachmann
continues her heinous nationwide publicity tour to a remarkable amount
of support, we should all be reminded that homophobia is alive and well
in the United States. Follow us on Twitter @SFAllShookDown, follow Rae Alexandra @Raemondjjjj, and like us at Facebook.com/SFAllShookDown.
So we should all be grateful when anyone steps up and does something about it. When someone who is so often written off as a kook and a weirdo and a has-been, like Cyndi, does it, we should all sit up and give thanks and shake off our misconceptions about that person.
UP NEXT: How desperately she wanted this bullshit fight to be over with
For most of the population, Cyndi's passion for gay rights only really came to light during her time on 2010's Celebrity Apprentice, throughout which she fought to raise money for her True Colors Fund. The most remarkable thing that's come out of that show -- apart from Gary Busey's mind-blowing inability to communicate with other humans -- is seeing "celebrities" (we use the term loosely when it comes to most of the participants) tearing their hair out for the charities they're trying to win for. Some cry, some shout, but anyone who watched Cyndi on the show could see -- every time she broke down, half-yelling, half-crying, so utterly frustrated with the status quo -- how desperately she wanted this bullshit fight to be over with.
We in the Bay Area are blessed with a diverse population that teaches us everyday that this is a bullshit fight. Bullshit because giving homo and trans folks equal rights is nothing more than common sense at this point. Having to still fight for it seems utterly ridiculous sometimes. But fight, we all must. So to have Cyndi Lauper working this hard, this late in her career, alongside the likes of Lady Gaga, isn't just necessary, it's a breath of fresh air and a reminder to never give up.
So, thanks Cyndi. The music you created in the '80s and early '90s was, frankly, rad. And we still listen to it. But we thank you mostly now for repeatedly hitting the mainstream media recently and forcing gay rights on those who oppose it and those who've not given the matter much thought 'til now. More than anything, thanks for helping the homeless LGBT population of New York City. We can only hope that more public figures and musicians follow in your clearly-not-as-crazy-as-people-think footsteps.
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