We all hope you will not be aging alone. Recently I read an article on Boston.com about gay aging issues (“Gay Elders Distinctive Challenges Get Closer Look”). According to the article, an estimated 2.5 million gay seniors living and aging alone in America is a reality. It’s a scary statistic, isn’t it? We tend not to think much about it, as gays we like to think we are always young. And youth and good looks is what is celebrated, not an aging gay population.
So where does that leave the older gay population? As Laura Nguyen pointed out in her recent post “Booming New Ad Campaign”, a recent Newsweek article highlights some alarming statistics about the aging gay boomer population. Among them, over the next 25 years, the number of Americans age 65 or older will increase by 12 to 20 percent. Out of those seniors, seven to 10 percent are predicted to be members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered community. This is truly an invisible population to many.
Why? Many of these persons never came out to family, friends or coworkers. They remain caught in limbo between the straight world and the gay world. Now that they are aging they don’t know where they fit. And they are afraid of bias and anti-gay treatment at senior centers or from the health care system. If they are alone, as many are, the problems escalate. Who to call with medical issues? Who can they turn to for financial advice or assistance? Their vulnerability is enormous.
For those gay couples who are aging, they face a different set of challenges. Lack of rights for same sex couples rises to the top of the list. You better be armed with the appropriate legal forms if you want to get in and see your partner in the hospital. Or if need to make some major medical decisions, you’ll need more forms! Recently, AARP decided to tackle the issue (full disclosure: they are a Fleishman-Hillard client, although none of our team works with them). The largest advocacy group in the world for persons over 50 years old, is going to focus on gay and lesbian aging at a conference organized by SAGE (Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders) and sponsored by AARP this month. This is a huge deal! AARP sponsoring an event that features workshops on a variety of issues related to the older GLBT audience – a first! Are you over 50? YOU should sign up for AARP today and show your support.
Issues of aging and the struggles are difficult for us all. For a generation that many of us don’t know, it can be devastating. How can you help? Find out more by checking out AARP, SAGE and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. They are all working to help support our elderly gay friends who face unique challenges we never imagined.
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No one cares about men over 50 in the gay world. I have experienced far more acceptance in the straight world than I ever have in the so-called gay community. We will carry on the way we have always carried on, independent and solitary. The 20s and 30s, even the 40s, who now shun me will get their due soon enough.