A new awareness campaign highlights the time lost by LGBTQ+ seniors who spent their youth in an era when coming out was punished, equality was elusive — but love never died.
Using AR technology, the campaign, created bySAGEandWatermark Retirement Communities, shares the stories of 12 LGBTQ+ seniors through a series of compelling portraits that intersect personal experiences of living during a time when being an LGBTQ+ individual was a literally a crime.
It is estimated that these 12 seniors collectively lost nearly 500 years of their lives in the closet. Their stories are told via interactive portraits, which will make their national debut in an art exhibit at The Watermark at Brooklyn Heights in January 2021 and then tour the country thereafter.
The exhibition is part of a new national awareness campaign titled Not Another Second. Its aim is to acknowledge the significant time lost, while sharing wisdom with younger generations who may be scared of coming out.
Take Reverend Kennedy, who was forced to marry a man when she was just 14 years old because her mom thought marriage would “cure” her. Or Nick, who spent three decades living in the closet.Or Ray and Richard, who both served in the Navy and didn’t come out until they were 60 years old. In a happy ending, they met, fell in love, and were one of the first gay couples to be married in California.
Watch the video teaser here.
This article was originally published in Queer Fourty on December 29, 2020.
