Seniors

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Out legislators unveil plan to stop “heartbreaking” abuse of LGBTQ+ elders nationwide

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Legislation to create a new task force to combat LGBTQ+ elder abuse has been introduced by out Rep. Angie Craig of (D-MN) and fellow Equality Caucus member Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ). Gottheimer announced the bill, dubbed the “Elder Pride Protection Act,” at an annual roundtable of North Jersey LGBTQ+ community organizations and advocates. “We know that elderly members of the LGBTQ+ community face abuse across our nation, but their voices aren’t being heard,” Gottheimer said Friday. “The reality is that organizations and government agencies aren’t tracking these heartbreaking attacks.” The bill would require the attorney general to establish a Department […]

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Democrats introduce bill to aid older LGBTQ+ Americans in rural areas

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Two out U.S. representatives and an ally have introduced a bill aimed at improving services for older LGBTQ+ adults living in rural areas. Seniors who are LGBTQ+ or living with HIV and live in rural communities often face barriers to support and resources because of geography, costs, insufficient broadband infrastructure, lack of specialized providers, or stigma, notes a press release from Reps. Mark Pocan, Sharice Davids, and Suzanne Bonamici, all Democrats. Their Elder Pride Act would update the Older Americans Act and provide funding to help rural Area Agencies on Aging offer specific services for these populations. The act would establish a grant […]

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The queer community has long struggled with bisexual inclusivity. It’s even worse for bi elders.

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I came out as bisexual in my 40s, and I had to learn how to grant myself permission to embrace my fluidity and attraction to people across the gender spectrum.  I originally came out as a lesbian in my 30s after realizing I identified with the queer community. It was another 15 years before I met my current partner and truly recognized my fluidity. Part of this process involved overcoming the fear of being misjudged as heterosexual because of the appearance of my relationship. Fortunately, we’re seeing progress as many are freeing themselves from heteronormative boxes to identify as bisexual […]

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Older people, especially gay men, are getting more STIs than ever

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Infectious disease experts say more needs to be done to address rising STI rates in older people. The call to action will be presented next month at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Disease in Barcelona, Spain. In a press statement in advance of the conference, they explained what was happening… and suggested some reasons. For example, STIs in Americans aged 55 to 64 years have more than doubled over the past decade. It’s even worse for gonorrhea, rising from 15 cases per 100,000 people in 2015 to 57 per 100,000 in 2019. In England, the number of over 45s […]

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I lived unapologetically as a Black gay man in the 70s. Now I’m aging with pride & dignity.

The year: 1969. Man landed on the moon, the Beatles gave their last concert on top of the Apple building in London, and we mourned Judy Garland’s death. But most notable for me was the Stonewall Uprising on June 28. As a gay African-American man, I am an activist and a pioneer. I have experienced some of the brightest and darkest highlights of LGBTQ history. So much has changed and I know my generation has made a significant contribution to the growth and positive changes. My mantra: “I’m living my best life!” The year of the Stonewall Uprising, I was […]

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Revolutionizing retirement: How LGBTQ+ housing communities empower elders to live authentically

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David Kilmnick knew an LGBTQ+ retirement community was needed when reaching out to elder facilities for educational programs. The founder and president of the LGBT Network on Long Island, New York, he recalls a facility telling him “we have none of those here,” referring to LGBTQ+ people. “I’m not talking this was 50 years ago or 20 years ago,” he says. “This was like five years ago.” In September 2021, Kilmnick and his nonprofit opened the doors to The LGBT Network’s LGBT/LGBT Friendly Senior Housing, a 75-unit affordable housing community for LGBTQ+ elders. Here, residents can live out and proud with their partners and participate […]

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Retired gay couple awarded for launching organization supporting LGBTQ+ elders of color

On November 12, Paul Glass and Charles D. Evans of Falmouth were honored with this year’s AARP Andrus Award for Community Service. It’s AARP’s most prestigious and visible state volunteer award for community service. They are the first married and Black gay couple in AARP’s history to receive the award. AARP, formerly the American Association of Retired Persons,  is one of the largest organizations in the country. With a membership of over 38 million members as of 2018, it focuses on issues affecting Americans over the age of fifty. The AARP Andrus Award for Community Service is an annual awards […]

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Transgender adults are worried about finding welcoming spaces to live in their later years

Rajee Narinesingh faced struggles throughout her life as a transgender woman, from workplace discrimination to the lasting effects of black market injections that scarred her face and caused chronic infections. In spite of the roadblocks, the 56-year-old Florida actress and activist has seen growing acceptance since she first came out decades ago. “If you see older transgender people, it shows the younger community that it’s possible I can have a life. I can live to an older age,” she said. “So I think that’s a very important thing.” Now, as a wave of new state laws enacted this year limit […]

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LGBTQ+ elders feel ‘excluded and isolated’ in a community ‘geared towards younger people’, study finds

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A UK-based charity dedicated to LGBTQ+ people over 50 has revealed that many feel “excluded and isolated” in a community “geared towards younger people”. Research by Opening Doors found people over the age of 50 “especially within the gay community” feel less visible due to being less likely to have “familial networks”.  Due to “distrust in the system”, the charity also found that older people often go without help from external support networks.  John Campbell, who identifies as androsexual, said his experience as an older LGBTQ+ person has been “trying at times, owing to the amount of emotional trauma”.  ‘I feel excluded’  […]

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New Study Reveals What LGBT Adults Aged 50 and Older Experienced During the COVID-19 Pandemic

LGBT older adults, defined in this study as those over 50 years old, face significant and unique challenges to health and well-being as they age. They are more likely than their straight/cisgender peers to experience social and economic barriers that prevent healthy aging. Research has shown that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased economic and social instability for LGBT people of all ages. However, precarity is not new for LGBT older adults and COVID-19 may be viewed as part of a continuum of disruptive events that impact the aging experiences of LGBT older adults. Using data from the U.S. Census Household […]

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