Disparities among LGBT Adults Age 50 and older

• In Event: 349 - Section on Aging and the Life Course Roundtable Session
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 06. Age Norms and Attitudes over the Life Course

Abstract

This paper illustrates the effects of economic and social disparities that exist between groups of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) adults, age 50 and over. Using intersectional, feminist gerontology, and life course perspectives as theoretical foundations, the study examines how the disparities in health, housing, and social support that exist between members of LGBT aging communities shapes their perceptions of aging and their futures. In-depth interviews with LGBT adults age 50 and older (N =58) collected between 2009 and 2013 comprise the data used in the study. The preliminary findings show the sample to be stratified into two groups: the Haves and the Have-nots. The Haves are lesbians and gay men participants over age 50 who have a partner, are white, and a history of professional employment; these participants are more likely to have economic stability and a stable social support network as they age, while still aware of the ways that heterosexism has shaped their lives and aging processes. In contrast, the Have-nots, nearly half of the sample of LGBT age 50 and over, are more likely to be unpartnered, of color, have multiple health conditions, disabled, socially isolated, and housing unstable; these participants view aging as an additional hardship that colors their already difficult life course. This study represents a first step in understanding the diversity and complexities of LGBT aging.

Authors

• Anna Muraco, Loyola Marymount University

• Karen Fredriksen-Goldsen, University of Washington