Older Americans Month Spotlight: How Ray Gibson Is Stirring Things Up
Below is an excerpt of Ray Gibson’s writing about how he is still having fun as he ages. Throughout Older Americans Month, SAGE has celebrated how LGBTQ+ elders are defying the stereotypes!
I must admit that 2025 has been very challenging since the 2024 Election. Since that time, I’ve been burning up Substack with articles, notes, and comments on a frequent basis. Have gained lots of new friends, subscribers, and getting chased by women all over the place (LOL). Something can be said about people feeling anonymous and saying things they might not be about in person, but it’s still fun. I pride myself in being the same online as I am offline. Less fun online because I’m talking about serious subjects. I am definitely stirring things up online.
In my personal life, as an elder, I continue to hold out hope of finding my bride. In the meantime, I’m an outrageous and flirtatious man. Typically, in restaurants where I’m a regular, employees whine when I don’t come around because I give them permission to be themselves and feel comfortable doing so when I’m around. Not because I do so explicitly; it’s because I’m fully self-expressed and it gives them courage to step out and be themselves. I’ve gotten entire restaurants arguing about subjects while I sit back and laugh at all the ruckuses. What a stinker I am in my old age. 😂
This piece has been edited for length and clarity.
