As the LGBTQ+ population gets older – and many of us within that population get older – we are going to be asking questions about what life will look like for us in the coming decades. 

Being queer or trans often means forging one’s own way through unknown territory. Unlike with cisgender/heterosexual people, we’re not often presented with models of how to find and build relationships or build our families, and the same could be said about aging. 

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But the U.S. population is aging rapidly. The Census Bureau found that around 12% of the population was over the age of 65 in 2000, but that number had risen to 18% by 2023. By 2050, that percentage is predicted to be 23%.

LGBTQ+ people will be part of that trend. Not only will we age like the rest of the population, but people in younger generations will also be more comfortable being out. A Gallup poll last year found that while only 1.1% and 2.3% of the Silent Generation and Baby Boomers identified as LGBTQ+, respectively, 4.5% of Gen X and 9.8% of Millennials were out.

The oldest Millennials and youngest Gen Xers will be 70 years old in 2050, leading to a senior population that will get more queer.

LGBTQ+ elders face unique problems. According to SAGE, which advocates for LGBTQ+ elders, this demographic is twice as likely to be alone and half as likely to have children compared to cishet elders. They’re also five times less likely to have gotten married. Forty-eight percent of LGBTQ+ elders say they feel socially isolated. Loneliness is associated with numerous health impacts, including an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and dementia.

Because of the way LGBTQ+ people structure their social relationships, elder LGBTQ+ people are more likely to be caregivers for other elder LGBTQ+ people. LGBTQ+ elders also face discrimination when it comes to long-term care and caregiving support, and are more likely to avoid getting the care they need out of fear of discrimination. Over half of the people living with HIV in the U.S. are over the age of 50.

One 2022 study found that 41% of LGBTQ+ elders worried about having to recloset – or start to hide their identities again – if they had to live in senior housing. A lifetime of discrimination can also affect how many resources LGBTQ+ elders have available to them – older LGBTQ+ people are more likely to depend on federal SNAP benefits for food. 

LGBTQ Nation’s September Issue will focus on the needs and triumphs of LGBTQ+ elders. Pieces in this month’s edition will examine what it’s like to live as an LGBTQ+ elder, how to age in community with other LGBTQ+ people, and even aspects related to end-of-life care.

Other articles in this edition will be informed by readers. We asked you last month to share your stories about what has changed in your lifetime, so we can take stock of the progress our community has made over the past few decades and connect people with the stories of our elders.

Just like with everything else LGBTQ+ people do, expect to find us shaping what it means to age with dignity just as much as aging shapes our community.