Gay & Gray

As the “baby boomer” generation grows older, there is an increased need for health care providers to care of their needs. The aging of our Canadian population also includes the aging of a generation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, two-spirited and queer individuals. LGBTTQ* individuals face a number of challenges as they age as described below, the institutionalization of heterosexism has made it difficult for LGBTTQ* elders to get the needs and social services they deserve.

       "They often do not have access to adequate health care, affordable housing and other social services that they need due to institutionalized heterosexism and transphobia”  Mainstream senior providers have limited information or training in how to appropriately work with and serve our diverse communities. Existing regulations and proposed policy changes in programs like Social Security or Medicare, which impact millions of LGBT elders, are discussed without LGBTTQ* views and interests as part of the debate” (Young,2011) .

         The inequality facing LGBT older adults is rooted in the effects of our societies social stigmas and prejudice attached to aging. “In part this ageism is obviously the product of a market-driven economy for which youth is so heavily commodified. Fear of progressive decay and eventual death is also a natural reaction to getting older”(Renaldi,2005). Not only do LGBTTQ* elders have the stigma of being seniors, but also the stigma of identifying as non-heterosexual. Often the stigma alone of being queer keeps the elderly out of retirement homes and those that do get in are often shunned and treated with disrespect.

        Let’s not forget that many LGBTTQ* elders came from a period where homosexuality was considered deviant and even a mental illness for a very long period of time.  Therefore it comes as no surprise that “for elderly lesbians and gay men, the fear is even greater because they are forced to depend on networks and social institutions that have traditionally been known to be intolerant of them” (Senior site,2011). Often seniors who are open about their sexual orientation in their daily lives withhold this information from their healthcare provider, because they are worried the health care provider will chose not to help them.

There are many programs available to the LGBTTQ* seniors here in Canada, examples are Windsor pride community, GLARP, 50 plus, ,OLOC and many more programs offering help to the elderly LGBTTQ*. These organization are dedicated to ensuring that LGBTTQ* elders have equal access to the benefits, protections, services and institutions that they are entitled to. Although there are such wonderful programs for these individuals, there are still no policies aimed to better the LGBTTQ * elderly, which is why we need to advocate for equality for the marginalised to ensure the LGBTTQ* elders get the needs they deserve. These are their last years with us, let’s make them count!   

-Brigitte Tetrault

References

Renaldi, R. (2005). Gay and lesbian elderly. Retrieved from: http://www.renaldi.com/portfolio/elderly1.html

Gay seniors face stigma . (n.d.). Senior site- sex & seniors . Retrieved November 11, 1920, from www.seniorsite.com/sex/gay_seniors_face_stigma.asp

Woolf, L. (n.d.). Gay and Lesbian Aging. Webster University. Retrieved November 20, 2011, from http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/oldergay.html

Young , Laurie . "Aging | TaskForce." National Gay and Lesbian Task Force | building LGBT political power from the ground up. The Task Force, n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2011. <http://www.thetaskforce.org/issues/aging