LGBTQ+ elders came to maturity in the U.S. at a time when they were stigmatized and subject to widespread discrimination. While our country has taken tentative steps forward in areas such as gay marriage, today’s politically motivated culture wars have renewed the threat of ostracization and persecution based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Statistics show that the largest concentration of LGBTQ+ citizens in the United States is in the South – a region that often leaves its Queer citizens vulnerable to discrimination. According to recent studies, LGBTQ+ elders are more likely to live alone and have specialized healthcare needs. What happens when the most significant barrier to accessing that care is an identity you can’t change?
How does this generation cope as they face their golden years in the red states of America? Who will tell their stories when they’re gone?