Life Forney was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, and raised in Brooklyn, New York, by a single mother. Forney said that he first engaged in sex work at 13, and that the $40 made him feel rich. Rejected by his family, at 13 Forney was put in a group home, from which he soon ran away. Forney was in a series of foster placements, but found the streets preferable.Ray, p. 9. Forney  continued to work as a sex worker, often dressed in women's clothing.Rosenberg, Tina (July 12, 1998). "Helping Them Make It Through the Night". Editorial Observer in The New York Times. New York edition, section 4, p. 16. Forney admitted to using crack cocaine "because it eased the degradation and fear" from sex work."A Life and Death on New York City Streets", Ali Forney Center. At 17, Forney joined the Safe Horizon Streetwork program, where counselors helped him acquire a Social Security card and a medical card. Forney completed a GED and, at the time of his death, had started to work with the staff to help other homeless youth. After turning 18, Forney received a settlement for a childhood car accident, but remained estranged from his family, and was ineligible for city youth shelters after reaching the age of 19.
Life Forney was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, and raised in Brooklyn, New York, by a single mother. Forney said that she first engaged in sex work at 13, and that the $40 made him feel rich. Rejected by her family, at 13 Forney was put in a group home, from which she soon ran away. Forney was in a series of foster placements, but found the streets preferable.Ray, p. 9. Forney , assigned male at birth, continued to work as a sex worker, often dressed in women's clothing.Rosenberg, Tina (July 12, 1998). "Helping Them Make It Through the Night". Editorial Observer in The New York Times. New York edition, section 4, p. 16. Forney admitted to using crack cocaine "because it eased the degradation and fear" from sex work."A Life and Death on New York City Streets", Ali Forney Center. At 17, Forney joined the Safe Horizon Streetwork program, where counselors helped her acquire a Social Security card and a medical card. Forney completed a GED and, at the time of her death, had started to work with the staff to help other homeless youth. After turning 18, Forney received a settlement for a childhood car accident, but remained estranged from his family, and was ineligible for city youth shelters after reaching the age of 19.
R
he
she
R
his
her
R
he
she
A
, assigned male at birth,
R
him
her
R
his
her