May 16 is Honor Our LGBTQ+ Elders Day according to the Washington State LGBTQ Commission. It highlights a part of the queer community that advocates say is often overlooked.
According to GLAD, an LGBTQ+ legal activism organization, queer seniors face unique challenges.
“Those who provide care for the aging are, as a whole, among the most compassionate and generous people, but often they lack the resources and education to provide appropriate and sensitive care to LGBTQ+ elders,” GLAD’s website states.
Lawmakers around Washington state have worked to address this problem by creating dedicated supportive housing projects for queer seniors.
In Seattle, the Pride Place apartment building offers living accommodations and community for members of the community over 55-years-old. The facilities are meant to offer residents a space where they can remain out and supported in later life.
According to SAGE, an advocacy organization for queer seniors, the alternative to finding an intentionally LGBTQ+ affirming space for people reaching retirement age is often returning to the closet. […]
