Stereotypes Of Being Homeless

You are driving along, coming home from a big city. There at a major intersection, sitting on the corner, is a homeless man with a Tupperware bowl with a few coins and dollars in it. He has on a rugged coat, tennis shoes with the toes partially ripped out, and a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. He is holding a cardboard sign saying “Anything Helps.” Good or bad, you have already passed judgment on this man. You may have felt pity, and gave him a dollar or two. You might have had disparaging thoughts towards him, thinking he did this to himself. You might have judged him for his cigarette, saying that he could buy himself food and clothes if he didn’t smoke. Homeless people get unwanted scrutiny, pity, and judgment everyday- on top of their
While this may be true for some, many of the homeless population have college degrees. Simple mistakes and decisions could have caused them to become homeless, such as loan debt, losing their job, mental illness, and abusing substances. Many of these people are veterans, who came out of a tour and never got back on their feet. No matter the cause, we are so quick to pass judgment and assume.

Another homeless stereotype is that they are too lazy to work. This is untrue in many instances. Criminal records can make it difficult to get a job, and many lack the resources needed to get and maintain a job. A car and money for gas, clothes that are job interview and work appropriate, access to resources to make a resume, all of these are inhibiting factors that can keep someone homeless out of work.

Mental illness is a huge cause and problem of homelessness. According to projecthome.org approximately a quarter of all homeless people in America are mentally ill. That being said, it should be no reason to pass judgment on all homeless people. Mental illnesses like paranoid schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, and depression can all be causes of unemployment, which can lead to