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Ageing, Gender, and Sexuality: Equality in Later Life.

As the baby boom generation ages more older adults will openly identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender. Unfortunately, historically there has been little research regarding the lived experiences of these communities. Dr. Sue Westwood outlines this gap as well as the burgeoning interest in Chapter 1 (Introduction) of her recent publication. This text Ageing, Gender, and Sexuality: Equality in Later Life is a perfect example of opening the closet door further on the diverse lived experiences of sexual minorities. The text is one of 49 within Routledge’s Research in Gender and Society volumes. Dr. Westwood’s insights arose from data that were obtained while completing her PhD in law. While these data serve as the primary source for the results presented in the text, she also connects to other empirical studies. Here, data were obtained from semistructured interviews and represent the narratives of 60 lesbians, bisexuals, and individuals in a same-sex relationship who do not label their sexualities 60 years and older. It is important to note that the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community is comprised of diverse subcommunities that share many commonalities. These often serve as a catalyst, which organizes the subcommunities around goals to achieve important sociopolitical rights. While maintaining this cohesion and inclusivity in advocacy, the subcommunities experience significant differences and needs. In her introduction, Dr. Westwood acknowledges this diversity and difference. As a result, the data more specifically speak to the intersectionality of aging, gender, and sexuality of older in what she coins “lesbian, gay, bisexual, and individuals in a same-sex relationship who do not label their sexualities” (LGBNL). She does not dismiss the importance of transgender aging research and explains a dilemma researchers focusing on sexual orientation and gender identify experience—results from studies focusing on LGB older adults may conflate issues/needs of transgender older adults. Her sample did not include transgender participants, and she rightfully does not extrapolate findings to these subcommunities. The introduction also nimbly outlines the feminist sociolegal perspective and the complex intersectionality of aging, gender, and sexuality within temporal, spatial, and regulatory contexts. In addition, Dr. Westwood includes salient information regarding power and oppression as they relate to the LGBNL community. Chapter 2 (Regulatory Contexts) on UK regulatory policy provides particularly interesting insight for a researcher enmeshed in U.S. social policy. This chapter offers perspectives on the marginalization of LGBNL older adults within the contexts of societal relationship acknowledgment, health care policy, and social care policy [such as caregiving (“carers”), community services, and housing]. Dr. Westwood outlines an interesting multifaceted comparison of the oppression of LGBNL older adults. Oppression as it relates to heterosexual peers, to LGBNL younger people, and other LGBTNL older adults (critical influences of this oppression include gender, class, and relationship status). In Chapter 3 (Ageing Sexual Subjectivities), Dr. Westwood introduces her model, which depicts how an individual’s history and past experiences shape current narratives. These narratives are shaped by an individual’s sexual identity and aging and influenced by the same theme of intersectionality posited throughout the text. This model includes the stages of coming out early, breaking out, finding out, late performance, lesbian by choice, and voices on the margins. Each state is elaborated upon by including narrative examples from participants. She further compares and contrasts the experiences of women and men. This strengthens the observation that while often considered a monolithic entity, the LGBT community is comprised of rich diversity throughout the lesbian community, the gay man community, the bisexual community, and the transgender communities. Importantly, Dr. Westwood cautions that while frameworks provide an opportunity to The Gerontologist cite as: Gerontologist, 2016, Vol. 00, No. 00, 1–2 doi:10.1093/geront/gnw097 Advance Access publication June 28, 2016 The Gerontologist Advance Access published June 28, 2016