Ageing with Pride: LGBT+ Inclusive Housing

June is Pride Month, a time of year where you are likely to see more rainbow’s than any other. Pride is the time of year where the LGBTQI2S community can reflect and celebrate their advocacy and civil rights history. It is a time of year where individuals can openly and proudly embrace their sexual orientation and gender identity and it is the time of year that should serve as a reminder, not only of how far the LGBTQI2S movement has come, but how far there still is to go in the fight for equality.

Pride, which has now come to symbolize the LGBTQI2S civil rights movement, began not as a parade but as a riot. 50 years ago, police stormed the Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar in New York City resulting in a sustained clash between New York’s LGBT Community and its police force. While the riot only lasted 2 days, the event left an indelible mark within the community and spurred a movement that would spread around the globe.

At its core, pride is about equality, as such it is important to stay vigilant of the inequalities faced by certain individuals within the LGBTQI2S community. In a recent article by Forbes, the inequalities faced by the older LGBTQI2S populations was brought to the forefront.

The article discusses the launch of New York City’s first affordable housing property for LGBTQ older adults. Over 1000 individuals submitted applications on the first day they were to be accepted. While encouraging, this also highlights an immense need stemming from the discrimination and prejudice many older LGBTQI2S individuals face when searching for and accessing affordable housing.

According to SAGE’s National Elder Housing Initiative, upwards of 50% of same-sex couples have experienced housing discrimination; and with a projected 7 million LGBTQI2S elders in the United States alone by the year 2030, addressing the housing needs of older adults is of vital importance.

To learn more about the importance of safe and affordable housing for older LGBTQI2S individuals contact IFA expert Judith Wahl, Executive director at the Advocacy centre for the Elderly. Ensuring housing is inclusive for older LGBTQI2S adults is about more than just shelter, its is about providing older LGBTQI2S individuals the opportunity to Age with Pride.