How about our older gay generation? It鈥檚 almost like they are forgotten and ignored.
When was the last time you saw a safe-sex campaign aimed at older gay men?
Clearly I am not the only person thinking about this important topic, given the recent press.
As noted by The Florida Times:
鈥� 鈥楾he pressure of being gay and elderly is enough to drive some people back into the closet鈥�, said Stu Maddux, producer of a documentary on the topic.
鈥� 鈥楾he bullies that were there at the beginning of your life, we鈥檝e found that they鈥檙e waiting for you near the end of it too,鈥� he said. 鈥楢nd this time you can鈥檛 run very fast.鈥� 鈥�
Discussing life in a nursing home elderly lesbian Vicki Wengrow goes on to say:
鈥� 鈥榊ou can feel pretty alone if you let it get to you鈥�, said Vicki Wengrow, a one-time English instructor at area colleges and a massage therapist for 33 years.
鈥淪he was 29 when she came out as a lesbian in 1972. She was a married mother who had become an enthusiastic member in Jacksonville of the women鈥檚 liberation movement, which made that announcement much easier, she said with a laugh.
鈥淪he鈥檚 69 now, living in a retirement community in Riverside. She鈥檚 had a few nasty phone calls, some insensitive comments, she said. But she鈥檚 also found acceptance, even from some of her most conservative, religious acquaintances there.
鈥淢any people know of her sexuality, she said, and most try to be understanding. She doesn鈥檛 have a partner, which makes it easier.
鈥� 鈥業t鈥檚 not like I鈥檓 quote-unquote flaunting it,鈥� Wengrow said. 鈥楢s a couple of people here said, As long as you don鈥檛 flaunt it.鈥� 鈥�
In a similar theme, documentary 鈥淕en Silent鈥� international filmmaker Christopher Banks has explored this topic with his tender film The Colonel鈥檚 Outing.
Living with an ageing gay population, I have to ask, are we ready to support and care for our brothers and sisters? Or will gay men and women continue to fade into the background.
What can we do to support our ageing population? Does the vibrant rainbow flag have to fade to boring beige?
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By DR GEORGE FORGAN-SMITH
