A Word to Boomers: Welcome!
By Harvey Stern

This year’s Democratic Party convention was historic on so many levels and a monumental step forward for the country. Both Barack Obama’s and Hillary Clinton’s speeches specifically mentioned the gay/lesbian community as a constituency in our nation. I personally felt joyous that we were being recognized—finally—as a group that needs and deserves full citizenship.
Less heartwarming but equally interesting is the California ballot proposition to nullify the recent court ruling permitting same-sex marriage. It is against this push-and-pull background of public policy and public opinion that “baby boomers”—the largest and most influential generation in U.S. history—are entering middle and old age. A National Gay and Lesbian Task Force study estimates that there are currently about three million LGBT Americans over the age of 65, with that figure likely to double by 2030. My question to our community is always, “What are we doing to meet the distinct needs this population (which includes us, or soon will)?”
Last month’s newsletter included a report from Riverside County that the largest increase (25 percent) in new HIV cases is occurring among the gay elderly. Many people have asked me what could cause this phenomenon in a population so thoroughly indoctrinated in safe-sex practices. I think the answer lies in taking a look at the history that these elders have lived through.
Today’s LGBT elders belong to a generation that lived through years of fear, self-hatred, identity confusion, isolation and shame. Protecting oneself from a hostile culture was not just an option; it was a way of life, one that typically required lesbian and gay people to conceal their sexual orientation. They feared physical and emotional abuse, and faced harsh social and legal persecution. A recent study by SAGE, the nation’s largest social service and advocacy group for LGBT seniors, reports that 96 percent of America’s social service and care-giving agencies offer no services specifically designed for the LGBT seniors.
The relevance of that statistic is underscored by the study’s further finding that roughly half (46 percent) of those same agencies confirmed that LGBT elders would be unwelcome at senior centers in their areas, if their sexual orientation were known.
Another factor potentially linked to the increased rate of HIV among seniors is reflected in their stress responses. Studies on substance abuse in the LGBT community sponsored by the Chicago Task Force on Aging reveal that our community’s usage of legal drugs like tobacco and alcohol does not drop in middle age, as it does for the general population. With current cessation efforts focusing on young men for crystal meth, and lesbians for cigarettes, the study urges the incorporation of interventions with older LGBT individuals as part of future public health campaigns.
In recent weeks, I have met with several AIDS-related agencies to discuss the specific needs of the LGBT senior within our community, and specifically the spiking HIV rate. The AIDS Assistance Program (AAP) has stepped forward to supply us with resources and collaboration on this agenda. Desert Oasis Healthcare has also provided us additional resources to address these issues. These groups, as well as The BottomLine magazine and AARP, have also contributed to the underwriting of our fundraiser calendar in support of our mission. As mentioned previously, the calendar is comprised of gay seniors who reflect the vitality that is not incompatible with age. Palm Springs Life and the Desert Daily Guide are also promoting this calendar in their November issues.
The Golden Rainbow Center originally envisioned two separate calendars, one featuring the gay men, and the other representing the lesbian sisters of our community. Resource constraints have required us to modify plans and produce only the men’s calendar for 2009; with your help, it will be so successful that we’ll be able to finance dual calendars for 2010. I would not want the women of our community to feel excluded—especially since an ever-growing portion of Golden Rainbow Center programming is aimed towards and their needs and interests. In the landmark 2006 study, “Outing Aging” an in-depth look at lesbian and gay baby boomers, the fear of insensitive and discriminatory treatment by healthcare professionals was found to be particularly strong among lesbians, 12 percent of whom said they had no confidence that they would be treated respectfully.
A 2001 SAGE study also indicates that many lesbian elders do not receive preventive breast or gynecological care and may face an increased risk of cancer as a result. To address and reverse this statistic, the Golden Rainbow Center has formed a very positive relationship with Desert Women for Equality, one result of which is the scheduling of free mammograms at the Center on November 11. The Center is fortunate to have Barbara Barrett and Sharon Doty recently join our Advisory Board. In addition, Golden Rainbow Program Coordinator Jeanne Ablon continues to direct our lesbian outreach program.
The Golden Rainbow’s mission is to provide services for the area’s underserved population of LGBT elders. Within the past year, we have grown by leaps and bounds, to the point where we are squeezing a multitude of programs into too small a space. We are collaborating furiously with other nonprofits to find a new location that better serves our growing membership. The hope is to find a space within Palm Springs, where we could further our collaborations with AAP and The Well in the Desert. We welcome attorney Jim Reynolds to our board; within a matter of weeks, Jim has made important revisions and improvements in our articles of incorporation and bylaws to enable our continued growth.

Harvey Stern is the Director of the Golden Rainbow Senior Center, located at 32150 Candlewood Drive, Suite 1, Cathedral City. For more information on the Center and its programs call 760.770.5524 or visit goldenrainbowseniorcenter.org.