Well, shouldn't the homeless be looked down upon?

They are worthless.

They did not work hard enough.

They should have studied while they had the chance.

It is all their fault.

Do these sound familiar to you? Chances are, you've already heard of these comments before. Whether it be while walking down a busy city street or after seeing that recent news article, these thoughts and opinions regarding may come almost unconsciously for some. When we see homeless people on the street, it can be hard to sympathize with them and their struggles. Many Canadians are privileged and well-off, leaving them to not have to face the stress of questioning where their next meal might come from. This often causes stereotypes to take shape, giving a way for citizens to form their opinions about people whom they've never met.

Those facing homelessness are often called "violent", "dirty", or "disgusting" to name just a few. Yet, where does this negative connotation with homeless people come from? Why aren't they seen as people who need help, instead of people who we should be afraid of? This, my friends, is called stigma.

Defined by Merriam-Webster, stigma is defined as “a set of negative and often unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about something". Stigma affects people of all colors, religions and ethnicities, because it places a pre-emptive negative association with their characteristics and who they are, before others may get a chance to see who they really are. The stigma around homelessness specifically is due to the fact that many don’t understand that it is not a choice. People who go through homelessness are there as a result of problems that were out of their control to deal with, whether it be family issues or struggling with mental health. It is so important to understand that the people who experience homelessness aren't facing their situation due to their lack of ability to be a civilized and organized human being but rather, due to the limited help they receive as they face their wearisome struggles.

The stigma continues to grow when people don’t try to understand and instead, judge. This has led homeless people, in particular youth and minorities, to be a target for verbal and physical abuse. The stigma around homelessness has caused numerous anti-homeless laws, making the homeless prone to arrest if they sit in a place for too long. This makes people that need help the most to be out of sight of the general public (who may be extremely capable in helping them) and deprives them of being capable of searching or accessing medical assistance. Fear of ridicule may cause people to keep their housing status a secret, making it harder to receive services that may improve their situation. Scammers pretending to be homeless also create many problems for actual homeless people. It creates fear among the general public and has made them lose faith in helping people of dire need. To make matters worst, though the homeless often face countless acts of violence, it is rare for them to report these incidences to the police. Being viewed as "less than" makes police officers less willing to provide aid and brush off the report as mere complaining”. Finally, with this stigma comes the narrative that the homeless are “outsiders”. This causes them to face constant discrimination, amplifying feelings of social isolation and mental health issues. This especially affects youth, often to the point where they won’t go into public places in fear of being discriminated against.

The solution? Researchers suggest advocacy and public education campaigns to diffuse the misinformation about the homeless. Spreading negative and false information will not help, and everything will be more beneficial if we start treating people who face homelessness as real humans, because that is who they are. Advocacy and public education on the effects of stigma and homelessness , in general, will greatly help to remove the stigma around the subject. It will show those around us the importance of lifting each other up, no matter the situations we face and created a more unified community. We need to stand up and be accountable for the stigmas and labels we give to people who experience homelessness. Keeping an open mind and changing our perspective on how we view those facing homelessness are just a few of the ways we can prevent ourselves from being blinded by these inaccurate labels. Lastly, we need to start listening and understanding because then, and only then, will we be able to dismantle the stigma around those who experience homelessness.

Works cited:

1. Pitman, Tyrone. “To End Homelessness Start with Stigma.” Homeless Hub, 2009, www.homelesshub.ca/resource/end-homelessness-start-stigma.

2. “Stigma & Social Isolation.” Ruff Institute of Global Homelessness, ighhub.org/understanding-homelessness/causes-intersections/stigma-social-isolation.

3. Vitelli, Romeo. “Why Is Homelessness so Stigmatized?” Psychology Today, 5 June 2021, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/media-spotlight/202106/why-is-homelessness-so-stigmatized.

Researcher: Angelina Manoj (Researcher from Power to the Youth Toronto)

Writer: Cecilia Vong (Editor from Power to the Youth Toronto)

Editor: Pallavi Hooda (Editor lead from Power to the Youth Toronto)

Date published: January 26th 2022