Eyes Glaze Over

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[RANT]

At the beginning of Pride month I attended a function at the Capitol, they had a great lineup of speakers. They had speakers from youth, they had teenagers speak, they had people from ethnic minorities. They had the “L,” “G” “B,” “T,” “Q,” and the non-binary communities speak… do you know who was missing?

There was a great Pride parade in one of the cities here, do you know what was missing?

There are great community centers here in the state, only one LGBTQ center has a senior group!

In all of these events there were nothing for seniors. I have been criticizing the parade because they do not have anything for seniors or the disabled to be in the parade. Boston Pride used to have a senior/disability bus

When I attended a “Town Hall meeting” before COVID to discuss the future of the community. They went around the asking everyone what they thought is needed. Now attending the event were people from state and national LGBTQ organizations, Pride centers, and concerned citizens.

When it came to my turn I said about problems with Long Term Care facilities and nursing homes. Do you know the response that I got? I got chants of “Boomer, boomer, boomer” followed by chuckles by some others. Not one of them called them out on that as discrimination… zero. Nobody said anything about ageism.

When I mention about the needs for those who are the Stonewall generation to our community, eyes glaze over. When I bring it up, I hear all types of excuses… the answer that raises my anger is, there is not problem with the seniors. Sure they haven’t looked at all into the problems we face, so thet don’t see the problems that are driving us back in the closets.

Whether it is independent living, assisted living, or LTC we need a place where we can live with dignity, a place where we are welcome and not shunned.

Like being the only trans woman in a 500 bed LTC facility, being shunned by the other residents, being mis gendered by the staff.

Shame on these LGBTQ+ organizations in Connecticut if they want to be inclusive well then they have start including seniors. And kudos go out to the New Haven Pride Center to have the first and only Rainbow Elders and Friends group.

 

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As the Stonewall generation ages they are going to need a lot of care, especially if they independent living they will need people to clean, people to take them to doctor's appointments, and people to shop for them, and healthcare needs... wouldn't it be nice if they had some trans people, lesbians, or gay to take care of them?

[/RANT]