Long Beach State’s La F.U.E.R.Z.A student association hosted “On Queerness: Understanding Systemic Oppression” on Oct. 26 where guest speaker Bill Sive spoke about unique stressors that affect LGBTQ+ older adults disproportionately such as generational differences, lack of legal protection and health disparities.
Sive is the president of the Gay Elder Circle of Los Angeles and the Grey Panthers of Long Beach. He is also a community activist and advocate for inclusionary policies for LGBTQ+ older adults in Los Angeles and Long Beach.
“If my generation does not create change, you will age into that and you will have to create change,” Sive said.
Sive said historically, older LGBTQ+ adults were isolated and othered for a long time, and they are being othered again. Many barriers were put in place by the cities and the government that deepened this isolation, according to Sive.
“Health disparities faced by the LGBTQ community are big. Many hospitals still use outdated traditional intake forms that are discriminatory and insensitive to LGBTQ members,” Sive said.
He also said healthcare professionals mis-gender and deadname patients frequently and that the practice is hurting the community.
Lack of medical attention and the scarcity of access to medicine for AIDS patients had a big impact on the elderly LGBTQ+ community.
“The younger generations will not be facing the same medical challenges faced by the older generations because we have a better understanding of these diseases, better medicine options and less stigma around them,” Sive said.
In the first edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), published in 1952, homosexuality was classified under “sociopathic personality disturbance,” and it was considered a mental disorder until 1974.
“This decision allowed many courts to rip apart families as the courts declared LGBTQ members as ‘unfit’ for taking care of their families and children if they had any,” Sive said.
During World War I and II, many gay and lesbian service members were issued a “blue discharge,” which was considered a dishonorable discharge. Blue discharges followed veterans their entire lives and made them ineligible for all veteran services.
In 1953, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed Executive Order 10450, which banned homosexuals from federal employment. Over 5,000 federal employees lost their jobs over accusations of homosexuality.
“Today, many elderly members of the LGBTQ community face the long-term effects of these historical decisions and unfortunately no programs are put in place to help them still,” Sive said.
Sive continues his work on research-based projects spanning from examining Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia rates among LGBTQ+ members to concentration camp survivors who are also part of the LGBTQ+ community.
Sive encourages people especially the younger generation to take action within their community now for a better future.