It’s 2062.
Mobile phones will be implanted into our brains, the population has grown to over 15 billion people and hover boards are all the rage. Problem is I’ll be too old to use a hover board.
I’ll be a 75-year-old gay man. I personally hope I have a beard. And a beautiful walking cane. And lots of books. And a family.
But most of all, I hope the future GLTBI generations will treat me better than we treat our current older GLBTI population. After reading last month’s community piece by Jude Comfort from GRAI (GLBTI Retirement Association Inc.), I was more than surprised that nothing had happened before now. Social isolation is not a new phenomenon for GLGBTI people.
In fact, social isolation still wreaks havoc with our community, playing a detrimental and negative role on our mental health. Yet, here is a group of people who cannot access the traditional forms of our culture like gay bars and clubs yet they are stranded from the community they helped foster. Some of these elders paved the way for us to enjoy the freedoms we now take for granted at times.
As Jude pointed out, there are some mainstream services that provide visitor services to people in aged care residential services but nothing GLBTI-specific.
I guess the main issue is why do we need a gay-friendly service?
I can’t speak for older people but imagine not going out for six months? A year or more?
You would feel disconnected. There is nothing better than standing among people who understand certain issues of your life that your family can’t even understand. That is how we are linked and that is why we are a community.
Love fest aside, why would we want to exclude the people who got us here?
I’m not sure what action is necessary but something needs to start, at least a conversation – if you agree, send me an email at benn@www.outinperth.com and tell me what you think.
In the meantime, I’m hanging out for a hover board.
Benn Dorrington
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