Hmmm. I'm not sure Father Braxton's brand of demeaning, dismissive paternalism is what these kids need, nor is it a step in the right direction. Though it is true that homeless youth, especially transgender gay youth, do simply need to survive and a place to live.

I think it's great that a place like this exists, I just wish that it did without the judgment of these paternalistic religious figures. "I hope you get arrested?" Yeah, that's going to help society accept their gender identity and give them the skills they need to find jobs and get out of sex work. Except that it won't.

I'm not sure Father Braxton's brand of demeaning, dismissive paternalism is what these kids need

Well, the "I hope you get arrested" is irritating and dumb, but I'm not seeing any other signs that the environment he's providing is demeaning or dismissive. I'm not a fan of required religion, which is why I think these shelters should be publicly run, but they're not, so there you are.

Well, I would like to know more about how Father Braxton and his staff “try to turn the residents away from prostitution and persuade them to go to school or find a job, and help them find a place to live.� I would hope it would provide the residents with life skills, useful education, and self-acceptance and self-empowerment that is not solely dependent on a preacher who “prays for their souls� and makes “passing references to sins of the flesh� during his sermons.

I don't know, guys, I don't think I agree with you that Father Braxton is being a jerk here, in any way. I was raised with no religion whatsoever and I am highly suspicious of and loudly critical of what goes in many religious settings. That said, I don't think it's a bad thing to discourage these young women from prostitution, and a spiritual leader is a good person to try and get that message through. He's not judging them, he's not kicking them out, it doesn't even sound like he's telling them not to. I'm totally with him on the "I hope you get arrested" line -- I had a close friend (biologically female) who ended up on the streets doing this, and when I'd here from her mother that she was in jail for a couple weeks, at least that meant she wasn't dead and she would be clean for a while. I don't know, maybe Father Braxton is treating these ladies in a poor manner, but it sounds to me like he's taking care of them while trying to steer them in a better direction.

Well I'm someone who believes that prostitution should be decriminalized and that the current system for incarcerating both prostitutes and drug offenders does NOT work. I think that it clogs up the system and does extremely little in terms of rehabilitation. In fact, having a criminal record is going to make it even more difficult for these women to find "real" jobs in the future-- as if it's not hard enough trying to find work as a transgendered individual, with so much prejudice out there. I also don't see how preaching to them about how what they're doing is a "sin" is helping, either. Sure, prostitution is not a great profession to go into, and it's an extremely dangerous one. But just because something isn't a good idea doesn't make it a "sin" and I don't think that they need forgiveness from Jesus or anyone else. They need a place to go-- which they are providing, and that's excellent-- but they also need respect and understanding for who they are and what they do, and opportunities to get out of sex work, if that's what they want. They should be getting out of the industry because that's what they want, not because they might get arrested or because religous crowds think that it's immoral.

Don't forget Sylvia's Place, which was named after trans-activist Sylvia Rivera.

Very good points, Cara.

While it's not solely for transgender youth, the Howard Brown center in Chicago includes a shelter as well as lots of other resources for LGBTQ youth.

Cara -- For the record, I think that prostitution should be decriminalized too, and I don't even believe in the concept of "sin" as most religious types think of it. As it stands, though, prostitution is extremely dangerous for the physical well being of those who practice it (both from violent crimes and transmission of disease), and at least from what the article says, these young women are looking for romantic love on the street, which can't be very good emotionally either. I do think there are ways to change at least the physical danger of the profession, and that decriminalization is a huge first step toward that.

As for the "sin" thing, as I said above, I don't even believe in the concept. When I'm in my home, I will go off on someone telling me or anyone else that God or the Bible or society or whatever does not approve of how someone lives their life. However, if I go to a church or a church-run home, whether or not they are providing shelter and food for me, I should probably expect some talk of God and the Bible. If the state or some other non-church-affiliated individual were to take it upon themselves to run a place like this, then there would almost certainly be different methods used. I don't believe in the Bible, but I don't think it's inherently disrespectful to teach the Bible. It sounds like those who run this place are showing a great deal of respect and understanding for the women who live there. They may be encouraging a healthier lifestyle and teaching the Bible, but the residents are not, it seems, being pushed to revert to their biological gender, nor is their ability to stay and get food and shelter and whatever other help is offered contingent upon adopting the lifestyle or the religious teachings.

Word up to Howard Brown! I luvz that place, and the staff I've met are so amazing they just about make me cry.

roro80:

However, if I go to a church or a church-run home, whether or not they are providing shelter and food for me, I should probably expect some talk of God and the Bible.

But what if these youth have no place to go? Being part of the most ostracized groups of society (transgender, homeless, prostitutes), they surely have little to no options of places to go. Religion may help some quit prostitution, but I fear that Father Braxton's black and white preaching that prositution is bad and that you should be arrested for doing it is not giving the residents any of the love, acceptance, confidence, and necessary skills to be self-sufficent adults not involved with prostitution.

roro8o, I'm glad to see that we're mostly on the same page and seem to be coming from fairly similar ideological backgrounds. That always makes debate a bit easier and more pleasant :)

I've always had a big problem with church-based groups, because while they often do great work, I always feel like they're charging "admission" through constant messages about God and chances to convert. A lot of the people who are using the services provided by religious charities don't have a whole lot of choice (especially when it comes to third world assistance from missionaries) about who they accept help from, and I feel like they are being held hostage in a way, or being taken advantage of. This could come from my atheist perspective and the fact that I have a strong distaste for organized religion. But it always feels really cheap and contrived to me-- as in "we are providing you with this help, you now owe it to us to listen to our attempts to convert you." And that is not what charity is meant to be about AT ALL. Yes, I also expect that if you are using the services of a chuch-based charity, religion is going to be invoked. But that doesn't mean that it should be that way. And I agree that a lot more secular groups should get involved with these types of issues. I've always wondered why they don't.

While I do think it's great that this shelter exists, and I definitely don't think Father Braxton is evil or anything, I also think his attitude toward the residents is kind of patronizing and even a little naive. I'm sure they know Christians think what they do is sinful, and hell, some probably think so themselves and are ashamed enough of what they do. His pointing out that what they do is sinful with his sermons and saying that he hopes they get arrested isn't going to change what they do. Getting them help finding jobs and education and ending transphobia and the demand for prostitution will go a much longer way toward improving these young people's lives.

And then, of course, there's the possibility that Father Braxton isn't really like this in real life and he was a bit misrepresented in the story -- it's not exactly a good idea to trust what the media says these days. A lot can depend on tone of voice and parts of quotes that get left out. But based on the information we have about Father Braxton, I do find him somewhat paternalistic.

String-bean and Cara -- I think I interpreted the "I hope you get arrested" in a totally different way than you did. My interpretation was not that FB thought they should go to jail because it was illegal and amoral, but so that, at least for the night, they wouldn't have to put themselves in the inherent danger that goes along with being a prostitute, being on the street, and just being a transgendered person. I read it that way because I've felt the same way about people I knew.

I also think it would be great if he could also fight transphobia, educate the residents, get them counciling, find jobs, and do it all without having to be preachy about it, but as the article said, they're "on a shoestring," and aren't getting any support from the state with these things.

Of course, as ponies points out, so much is left to our imaginations when we read something, and maybe he is paternalistic (his title IS "Father", after all), but it just seems to me that he saw a dire need for these ladies, and he's done the best he can to fill that need.

Hi,
I interpreted the "jail" comment like you did, roro80. I thought it was more a wise-ass send-off, a way to say "I wish there were something keeping you off the street."

Because of my day job and my two best friends, I know a lot of Episcopalians, inc. priests and inc folks who work with the homeless. (I'm not Christian myself.) The Christianity of these people, inc. Father Braxton, doesnt make them the same as judgmental Bible-thumpers. Most Episc. I know have a deep sense of social justice and inclusion.

The priest might not to want these women to be in prostitution because the way prostitution works right now, it is profoundly dangerous, as the experiences of the people in the story point out.

For what it's worth, I contacted the writer of the NYT story to ask how I could help. Turns out, the shelter doesnt even have money for May's rent. If you want to help, the number is:

Father Braxton

646 512 1703

At Carmen's Place

Hi, all I love Astoria as well.

My flip comments in the NYT where just that flip. I meant it as a pleading joke and did not see the reporter behind the door. After I have tried my best to move the young people to a different life it is either cry or laugh. Last year one of the girl's gay sisters was found in the Hackensack River in Newark in pieces, last seen getting into a cab to go on a Craig’s list escort date. When the kids call me from jail, I can go to sleep!

I learn new things every day, but try never to judge the young people, but I do sometimes have rude things to say about their behavior. In the eternal struggle between the old and too tired to have any fun and the young still able to have fun,someone must say to youth, you have to much fun, and so someone must say to the old … you have not seen anything yet. This struggle must be so that there is balance. We have young people who’s lives are out of balance. If you have to do street sex work to eat, or have a place to sleep you are in a very tight place. We feed and provide bed’s to all the residents. Sadly the girl’s do not make much money on the streets, just enough to get their nails done and a plate of chicken wings with a cab ride most nights. They continue for other reasons. That Danger, Disease, and possible Death can not Dissuade.

I am a “know it all� this the girl’s tell me daily, but it is a life or death struggle that I know Carmen’s Place wages daily. The sadness in the lives of many of these kids is too much to bear sometimes. So I laugh!

Any of you in Astoria who have time we need mentors who are not as old and paternalistic as I am to spend time to talk to the kids about your life and theirs! Thank for thinking about Carmen’s Place.

Fr. Louis Braxton, Jr.
Carmensplace.org