AGE DISCRIMINATION AND AGEISM AMONG LGBTQ2 OLDER ADULTS Brian de Vries, Ph.D. bdevries@sfsu.edu
Life Line markers of a 75-year-old LGBT person 2003 (age 60): US 2013 (age 70): first Supreme Court White House strikes down sodomy roundtable on laws; bisexual issues; 1973 (age 30): 1993 (age 50): Don't MA Supreme Court Repeal of (Section 3) American Psychiatric beginning 1981 (age Ask, Don't Tell Issued authorizes marriages DOMA; Supreme 1955 (age 12): Association removes 38): the AIDS crisis: by Dept. of Defense; between same-sex Court strikes down Daughters of Bilitis 1966 (age 23): homosexuality from illness, caregiving, 1996 (age 53): couples (weddings Prop 8; becomes first lesbian Compton Riots in San list of mental death, protest, Defense of Marriage begin the following 2015 (age 72) organization in US Francisco illnesses in DSM identity Act signed into law year--first state) marriage equality i i i i i i i i i 1950's 1960's 1970's 1980's 1990's 2000's 2010's h h h h h hh hh 1952 (age 9): 1969 (age 26): 1978 (age 35): 1983 (age 40): 1999 (age 56): First 2008 (age 65): 2016 (age 73): HB2 Transition of Christine Stonewall Riots in murder of Supervisor (BBWN) Boston Transgender Day of passage of Prop 8 in ("Bathroom Bill") Jorgensen increasing New York Harvey Milk and Bisexual Women's Remembrance California (denying passes in NC; awareness of Mayor George Network formed and marriage to same- Pentagon lifts ban on transgender lives Moscone in San published newsletter; sex couples, following transgender people Francisco (Dan BIPOL: first bisexual several months of serving openly in US White's "twinkie political organization legalized marriage.) military; defense," 1979 in San Francisco 2009: Matthew 2017: Relgious conviction of Shepard (Hate Freedom laws manslaughter, Crimes Prevention) passed subsequent White Act signed into law Night Riots)
The Unique Demographic Characteristics of LGBT Older Adults ■ More e likely ely to live e alone – About one in three (34%) LGBT older Americans compared to one in five (21%) of non-LGBT persons (SAGE, 2014) ■ In SF study (2013): 58% live alone (compared to 28% of older SF adults in general) ■ Especially gay men (4x higher in MetLife Boomer study, 2010) ■ Less ss likely ely to be partn tnered ered – About half (48%) LGBT older Americans are partnered compared to 70% non-LGBT older persons (SAGE, 2014) ■ Especially gay men (12% never-partnered -- 4x higher than general population -- MetLife, 2010) 3
The Unique Demographic Characteristics of LGBT Older Adults (cont’d) ■ Less ss likely ely to have children dren – 15% have children (SF study, 2013) – Among those who have children, 60% report that their children are not available to help them. ■ More e likely ely to turn rn to frien ends ds (SF study, 2013) • Lesbians more likely to turn to partner, family, neighbor Transgender persons more likely to • turn to faith community • Gay men more likely to have no one to whom to turn 4
Experience of Discrimination SF Study (2013): Discrimination in previous 12 months The ”categories” we inhabit are not distinct ■ Woody’s (2015) qualitative study: one 67-year-old lesbian was quoted as: “…not only am I old, I am an old African American female … and then when you add being a lesbian to that, that puts you in the toilet.” * 69% of Transgender adults reported gender discrimination 5
Preparations for Later Life: Concerns about Ageism (Canadian study, under review) Gay Lesbian ian Transg sgen ender er Service ice Provide der -Ageism, concerns about finding “some of the younger -Growing old is not something - “the queer community partner/relationship; “Chances people deliberately avoided that can be discussed among is ageism on steroids” slim of finding Prince Charming speaking to us; you could trans people — it become a after 50;”“No one wants to be feel it. It was like a curse. joke; “The community tries to - “Issues worst for older the close and intimate friend of It hurts so much.” erase aging” LGBT persons, given a 75- year old” historical -When you are old and trans marginalization and -Issues of trust: concerned being closeted” you get pretty lonely about “being screwed over by younger persons, nieces, -Cohort issues: younger nephews” persons transitioning today have access to different - “We need to educate younger surgeries, hormones —don’t gay men” have the same experiences of having to pass —“don’t have to apologize for who they are”; Believe that younger cohort no longer want to identify as transgender —“they are better at being proud”
What would your life be like without homophobia, racism, sexism? Life in a world where they would not be deprived of critical possibilities and resources Life in a world where they would be safe and accepted, across the life course BUT ALSO, a life without Enhanced self-concepts (stronger, focused, multi-dimensional) The communities formed in response to oppression The fight for social justice and equity (Meyer et al., 2012) 7
Positive Marginality The strength, resistance and radical possibilities that exist and develop in the margins of social disenfranchisement • Create communities, families and political movements • Empathy and generativity • Authentic self-awareness (Lewis & Marshall, 2012; Unger, 2000) 8
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