LGBTQ Communities

Memories of Our Grandparents

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Sunday, September 13th is Grandparents Day, and at the Diverse Elders Coalition, we are so grateful for our grandparents: whether you say grandmother, grandfather, abuela, abuelo, oba-chan, ojisan, lola, lolo, yeay, taa, tutu, halmoni, halapoji, bibi, babu, awa, tata, pog, yawg, yéyé, nǎinai, or another term of endearment, the elders in our lives have served as role models, supporters and caregivers.

Grandparents are more than just pinched cheeks and comfort food, though. The grandparents in our lives can be a valuable resource as we figure out how to make the world a better place. I love this quote from Janet Mock’s book Redefining Realness, in which she talks about the struggles her relatives have faced, and the role.... Read More

             

The Little LGBTQ Community that Could

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Indy Reads 2015 070C. Michael Woodward, MPH, is a writer and LGBTQ inclusion consultant and trainer based in Tucson, Arizona. He worked in various roles on the staffs of SAGA, Wingspan, and SAAF and now serves on the Board of Directors of SAGA and Equality Arizona. He wrote the title essay for the anthology Manning Up: Transsexual Men on Finding Brotherhood, Family & Themselves (Transgress Press, 2014).

July 31, 2014 was the end of an era, and a sign of the times. After 27.... Read More

             

Stop Erasing Trans Lives

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LGBT media has been buzzing lately with the arrival of a trailer for the new movie “Stonewall,” a fictional cinematic account of the riots at the Stonewall Inn that launched the modern-day LGBTQ movement. What has received less media attention, shamefully, is the fact that the film – directed by a white, cisgender, gay man – is centered on a fictional white, cisgender, gay male character instead of the transgender and gender variant people of color who actually incited the Stonewall riots.

This omission felt very striking to me as I also read news of the death of Tamara Dominguez, a Latina trans woman who was violently mugged and murdered in a parking lot on August 18th..... Read More

             

Commemorating My Time at the DEC and Marking This Summer’s Milestones

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It’s quite hard to believe that my time here at the Diverse Elders Coalition is almost over. Today is my last day, and as I wrap up a couple of final tasks here and there, I can’t help but reflect on and feel so fortunate and grateful for the past ten weeks. Collaborating with DEC staff and member organizations has been truly inspiring and empowering.

It’s fortuitous that I was able to work in D.C. during this particular summer. It’s been a special season, especially for those “fighting the good fight” and advocating for social justice because this summer marks multiple milestones and victories that support our diverse communities. In the past two weeks, we commemorated the 25th anniversary.... Read More

             

Why We Need Our Elders to Take the US Trans Survey

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This piece originally appeared on the SAGE blog.

I was one of perhaps three trans people at the small liberal arts college I attended. One stayed stealth throughout all four years, and the other chose not to transition medically. I was out. Very out. You can well imagine the kinds of questions I found myself asked by my fellow cisgender classmates. Aside from all of the more terrifying or rewarding aspects of being visibly trans—and those are, for many of us, manifold—the most tiresome is the bombardment of inappropriate questions from well-intentioned cis people. Worse yet, there is a temptation to translate the responses they hear from any one trans person.... Read More

             

Passages

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vince-crisostomo-headshotVince Crisostomo is the Program Manager for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation’s 50-Plus Network.

I was 30 when Jesse Solomon and I registered as Domestic Partners in San Francisco.  We had moved to San Francisco from New York in November 1990.  Our Domestic Partnership was sealed in a quiet ceremony at city hall with little acknowledgement of our change in status except for the taxi driver who refused to take our money.  She said it was an honor for her to get us there and recommended dinner at the House of Prime Rib.  She even said she would wait for.... Read More

             

Positive Momentum: Reflecting on Yesterday’s White House Conference on Aging

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In the days and weeks following the White House Conference on Aging, we’ll be highlighting our community members’ experiences and reflections from this historic event. Today, we’re sharing Michael Adams’ take on what the WHCOA means for LGBTQ elders. This post originally appeared on the SAGE blog.

I’m excited to report that Monday’s White House Conference on Aging included some major breakthroughs for SAGE and LGBT older people across the country. In recent months, SAGE has prepared diligently to ensure that LGBT voices would be heard at this influential conference, held every ten years. As I listened to an inspiring and impassioned statement to conference leaders from iconic LGBT aging activist Sandy Warshaw, who called for.... Read More

             

Diverse Elders Coalition to Host Congressional Briefing After White House Conference on Aging

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The Diverse Elders Coalition, in collaboration with the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, is hosting a Congressional Briefing on July 14, 2015, the day after the 2015 White House Conference on Aging. Coinciding with the 50th Anniversary of the Older Americans Act, this Briefing will discuss elders of color, indigenous elders, LGBT elders, and elders living with HIV/AIDS in light of the White House conference and will identify needs and challenges moving forward. The Diverse Elders Coalition will present a report documenting their engagement with the White House Conference on Aging and their policy recommendations on how to improve the lives of diverse elders and their families.

Congressmember Mark Takano (D-CA) will join the Briefing and provide comments. Rep. Takano.... Read More

             

Mary’s House in the HOUSE at Capital Pride

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Mary’s House for Older Adults, Inc (MH) collaborated with SAGE Metro DC and joined the celebration of LGBTQ Elders during the Parade and Festival of Capital Pride on June 13-14, 2015.

Parade
This was the first ever time that Mary’s House had been in the Parade.  We were excited to offer FREE transportation to LGBTQ people over 60 and to folks who were not able to walk the entire parade route. Many thanks to Jerry Miller who donated a state-of-the-art trolley and his time. The crowd just cheered to see LGBTQ elders participate in the Parade as well!  We threw the prerequisite beads and candy AND we sprayed our WATER GUNS on the crowd.  They.... Read More

             

“I am a 60-year-old Trans Woman living with HIV:” Helena’s Story

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As we enter the last days of Pride Month, I’m hopeful that the momentum from the US Supreme Court’s decision legalizing gay marriage in all 50 states will carry us through the rest of the year. Even after the rainbow flags have been put away and the glitter has been swept from the streets, it is crucial that we continue to fight for the rights of the LGBTQ community, in particular our vulnerable LGBTQ elders.

All too often, elders are left out of the conversation around HIV and STDs — we rarely see our elders targeted by HIV prevention and treatment campaigns. But older adults are still at risk for infections and should still be getting tested..... Read More

             
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