New Research Study Says LGBTQ+ Elders Feel ‘Excluded and Isolated’ From the Community

The world is decidedly geared toward the younger half of the population, but it somehow feels even more pronounced within the LGBTQ+ community. And a recent research study out of the United Kingdom shows that Queer people 50 and up are feeling that disconnect.

 

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The study comes from Opening Doors, which is the largest UK charity catering to the LGBTQ+ community over the age of 50. They provide everything from events to skills training, to support services, and according to many of its members, by and large, the Queer world just doesn't seem to have them in mind.

A large issue also stems from the fact that many Queer people are less likely to have "familial networks." This impacts their day-to-day community, as well as the trauma that shaped them. John Campbell, a 64-year-old Brit who identifies as androsexual, told Metro that being an older member of the LGBTQ+ community can be "trying at times, owing to the amount of emotional trauma." And not only are many Queer people without the support of their birth family, but for many of the older generation they lost a great portion of their chosen family when an entire generation was nearly wiped out by AIDS. "A lot of this is due to the fact many people from older generations were lost to the AIDs pandemic," Campbell said. "It wiped out a generation of movers and shakers, and has left trauma for so many."

 

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Jonathan Buckerfield, the Head of Fundraising and Communications for Opening Doors, said the findings also demonstrate just how big of a need for support systems older LGBTQ+ people really need. "As we age, we become less visible in wider society, and this is especially true in the LGBTQ+ community," Buckerfield said. "We don’t have the same familial networks and we can find ourselves increasingly cut off from social networks and services. It can be quite a scary and unsettling experience."

The lack of access to social networks and services also seems to be rooted in the fact that after decades of neglect from the government and society in general, many in the older population of the LGBTQ+ community have a "distrust in the system." So, even when there are resources like the ones provided by Opening Doors, many people don't trust their ability to actually bring them the support they claim to provide.

Like all other issues facing our community, the solution to this problem is not a simple one and requires numerous aspects of society to start shifting their focus. Research studies like this are so important because they shine a light on members of our Queer family that often go unreported.

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