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Captain Young
Captain entered the Los Angeles foster care system seven years ago. Now an active youth advocate and trainer for social workers and prospective foster parents, Captain remembers what it was like in the system before California passed its nondiscrimination act (Assembly Bill 458) in 2003.
Over a few short years, the situation for LGBTQ youth in California’s child welfare and juvenile justice systems has improved dramatically. Laws can’t change cultural attitudes overnight, but they can add protections that help prevent the worst injustices.
Captain refers to herself by both male and female pronouns. She identifies as a transgender lesbian stud, denoting both her choice of female sexual partners and her masculine perspective and appearance. Captain never tried to pass as anyone else when she was in the system—and so she became the target of constant discrimination.
“I was moved out of group homes because of my gender identity and my sexual orientation. I was denied services,” says Captain.
Captain admits that he bent—and sometimes broke—rules as a teen, particularly in the highly restrictive group homes in which he was placed. But he also noticed adults were inclined to be more generous with similar behavior from straight youth, reasoning that it was a part of their normal teenage rebellion.
“I was criminalized for sexual experimentation within the foster care system and in juvenile hall,” recalls Captain. “When heterosexual youth experiment, they get a slap on the wrist. I was getting warnings and violations. With enough violations, the next step would have been the California Youth Authority—California’s prison for juveniles. If they’d sent me to CYA, I’d still be there today.”
Captain’s foster homes generally failed to nurture or support her. But instead of pushing her out into the street, trouble at home pushed Captain into education. Between school and football, she was gone from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. during the week. On Saturday, she had forensics. After being gone all day, she’d come home, heat her cold plate of food, shower, and go to bed.
”When I was at home, I would always get in trouble—for looking at a girl, for being too masculine, for eating too much food. I was motivated to be out of the house. It was a survival technique.”
Captain’s strong school connection filled in pieces the foster care system couldn’t. “Ever since fifth grade, teachers have always helped me,” says Captain. “My fifth grade teacher taught me about my anger and how I could channel it. Counselors also reached out to me. I became involved in a program called AVID that helped prepare me for college, and I joined Mensa. I also joined my school’s Gay-Straight Alliance Network.”
Captain easily finished high school early and enrolled in an engineering program with a full scholarship at California State University, Fullerton. Insufficient resources for housing and living expenses ultimately prohibited him from continuing his degree program, but Captain hasn’t given up on education. Back in Sacramento, he enrolled in community college, determined to stay in school.
The strength and self-sufficiency that helps Captain survive might embitter a weaker person. For all of the challenges he’s faced, Captain still has a passionate, giving heart that motivates him to keep working to change the system for his siblings who are still in care, and for those who will follow.
Captain’s adult volunteerism resume is at least as long as his high school list of extracurricular activities. He currently works with the California Youth Connection to create a curriculum for probation officers, group home workers, and social workers. Called the Youth Training Project, the curriculum is funded by a federal grant from the Administration for Children and Families. Due to be published in February 2007, the curriculum will include a component that specifically addresses LGBTQ issues within the juvenile justice system.
“I always want youth to know that it’s going to be okay,” says Captain. “In reality, it might not always be okay, but I want youth to keep their heads up. If they make a mistake one day, it doesn't matter. They can try again the next day. No matter what they've done, they're important.”
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