1. Spirituality and LGBT Senior
Justin Tanis, Graduate theological union

2. Who are LGBT people really?
What do we know about ourselves?
Gallup Poll, October 18, 2012, “Special Report: 3.4% of U.S. Adults Identify as LGBT: Inaugural Gallup findings based on more than 120,000 interviews
by Gary J. Gates and Frank Newport

3. Race
“Overall, a third of LGBT-identifiers are nonwhite (33%), compared with 27% of non-LGBT individuals.”

4. gender
“more than 53% of LGBT individuals are women.”

5. age “LGBT identity declines with age”
“Adults aged 18 to 29 (6.4%) are more than three times as likely as seniors aged 65 and older (1.9%) to identify as LGBT.”

6. education
“ identification as LGBT is highest among Americans with the lowest levels of education -- contrary to what other, more limited, studies have shown”

7. income
“35% of those who identify as LGBT report incomes of less than $24,000 a year, significantly higher than the 24% for the population in general.”

8. Standard of living
“Nearly three-quarters of non-LGBT individuals (73%) say they are satisfied with their standard of living, compared with less than two-thirds (65%) of LGBT individuals.”
Optimistic: “Nearly 59% of LGBT individuals say their standard of living is getting better, compared with less than half (49%) of non-LGBT men and women.”

9. children
“About 32% of both non-LGBT women and LGBT women have children under 18 in the home. “
“LGBT men about half as likely as other men to have children in the home”

10. Children by race

11. regional
“More accepting regions may attract LGBT people to move there. But it may also be the case that social acceptance in the East and West means that LGBT people are more willing to self-identify, because they feel less stigmatized by their identity.”

12. The Aging and Health Report
60% = baseline for 65+ in the US, based on ABCnews and Beliefnet survey, 2002
This pioneering project is a collaboration between 11 LGBT community aging agencies around the nation (see Community Partners page) and the Institute for Multigenerational Health at the University of Washington.

13. What are the implications?
What are the (spiritual) implications?
Poverty/economics
Racism
Children and family
Connections with religious communities
Diversity is a spiritual matter …

14. Spiritual needs of LGBT seniors
Differences and commonalities

15. understandings Pastoral care and parish settings Research?
Pastoral care books about seniors
Studies of LGBT adults
Wide range of perspectives

16. Three groups/three lenses
Out for many years
Newly out
Followed religious guidance
Lenses
Impact of religious attitudes against LGBT people and activities
Role of community
Contribution of spirituality

17. Followed church guidance
Impact of religious attitudes against LGBT people and activities
Formed the basis of life choices
Potential impacts:
May feel it was a positive, moral choice
May feel constricted or resentful
May have internalized a sense of dis-ease or intolerance, which can be significant and severe

18. Followed church guidance
Role of community
Religious community may be more important than LGBT community
May be intolerant of LGBT seniors

19. Followed church guidance
Positive contributions of spirituality
Spiritual sustenance of a life of faith
Sense of purpose

20. Newly out
Impact of religious attitudes against LGBT people and activities
May be painfully aware of homophobia
Could experience loss of or alienation from a community of faith
May experience (realistic) fear of homophobia

21. Newly out Role of community/family
Religious community and LGBT community
May be seeking new levels of community involvement
May need to integrate biological family with new identity

22. Newly out Positive contributions of spirituality
Sense of exploration—new spiritual frontiers
New identity and excitement

23. Out for many years
Impact of religious attitudes against LGBT people and activities
Potential alienation from communities of faith
Higher levels of agnostic/atheist
May be reluctant to seek services from faith-based social service programs
May fear homophobia
Potential separation from partners/friends—realistic fear
Lack of compassionate care (avoidance)

24. Out for many years Role of community/family
Friendship and relationship networks
Positive communities of faith

25. Out for many years Positive contributions of spirituality
Sense of self-identity and confidence
Less tied to gender roles
Strength

26. resources Communities of Faith LGBT-affirming
Remaining within communities

27. resources LGBT Communities Less age-discriminating than the stereotype
Extensive support networks
Positive theology about LGBT people
Increasing numbers of programs specifically for LGBT seniors

28. Conclusions Spiritual needs of LGBT seniors impacted by
Ongoing negative attitudes of religious institutions
Resilience and self-acceptance
Strong sense of community and connection
Be aware of partner(s) and friends
Particularly at crisis points (access)
Viewing love and bereavement as equal

29. Conclusions Positive LGBT communities and theologies
LGBT seniors experience same life-span spiritual needs as their non-LGBT counterparts

30. Questions? Comments