When Robert Emery, 64, walks into senior housing communities on training days, he asks his audience a question: “Who knows or loves someone who is LGBTQ+?”
Usually, a few timid hands come up around the room, he said. At the end of the 60-minute discussion, he asks the question again.
“Without fail, 100 percent of people raise their hands” that second time, Emery said. “The fact is, everyone knows someone who is LGBTQ+, but they’re not used to talking about it until someone comes in and makes it okay.”
Emery, a founding board member of Coalition for Aging LGBTQ+ in Dallas, said that during the last decade, he’s noticed more and more seniors proclaiming their place in the community. He said the rising number of seniors coming out is inextricably linked to how supported and empowered they feel. […]
Click here to read the full piece. This story was originally published by Texas Metro News on January 25, 2024.
