Published in the Journal of Gerontological Social Work, this article reflects on the experiences of the research team and evaluates continuing challenges and offering viable solutions and considerations to further research in this area of study. This article also includes the perspective of 189 lesbian elders and what they consider necessary research areas in their communities.
Averett, P., Yoon, I., & Jenkins, C. L. (2012). Older lesbian sexuality: Identity, sexual behavior, and the impact of aging. Journal of Sex Research, 49(5), 495-507. Referring in its introduction to “the very limited and mostly outdated literature on older lesbian sexuality,” this 2012 study relies on an online survey of 456 self-identified lesbians. They note that the first study of older lesbians and sexuality was in 1980 (Raphael and Robinson), and that since that point, there have been only a few studies.
Barrett, C., Hinchliff, S., (2018). Addressing the sexual rights of older people: theory, policy, and practice. Routledge, Taylor et Francis Group. – This book provides much needed insight on how to provide and safeguard the sexual rights of older people. It includes interdisciplinary research on the current challenges that face Lesbians, Transgender, and Intersex persons as they age.
Blando, J. A. (2001). Twice hidden: Older gay and lesbian couples, friends, and intimacy. Generations, 25(2), 87-89. Blando posits that “a small but increasing body of research suggests that old and gay is not the same as old and lonely.” In this short paper (2001), the estimate of LGBTQ older adults is cited as being between “1 million and 2.8 million.”
Comerford, S. A., Henson-Stroud, M. M., Sionainn, C., & Wheeler, E., Crone songs: Voices of lesbian elders on aging in a rural environment, Affilia, 19:4, (pp. 418-436) – An article which interviews 15 lesbian elders living in Vermont, and discusses three main impacts that have an effect on their aging, including, Vermont itself as context, personal independence, and social support.
Copper, B., (1987). Ageism in the lesbian community. Crossing Press. – A Crossing pamphlet which marks out ageism, discrimination based on age, within the lesbian community itself.
Correro, A. N., & Nielson, K. A., (2020). A review of minority stress as a risk factor for cognitive decline in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) elders. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health, 24:1 (pp. 2-19). – This study explores how chronic minority stress (CMS) actively effects the mental and physical health of LGBTQ elders as they age and connects findings with other prominent research on CMS and premature cognitive aging.
Czaja, S. J., Sabbag, S., Lee C. C. et al. (2016). Concerns about ageing and caregiving among middle-aged and older lesbian and gay adults. Aging and Mental Health, 20:11 (pp. 1107-1118) – This article focuses exclusively on care-giving and support for LGBTQ elderly by investigating needed social programs, barriers to treatment and support, and concerns LGBTQ elders have about aging.
Fine, M. & Hall, Ruth L., (2005). The Stories We Tell: The lives and friendship of two older black lesbians. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 29:2 (pp. 177-187). – Observing that the psychological literature about older African-American lesbians is “virtually nonexistent,” the authors frame their study using the lens of “positive marginality.” This concept is borrowed from bell hooks and Audre Lorde, authors who re-conceptualize “the margins as a space of radical possibility and resistance” (Fine, 1). Unfortunately, the psychological jargon of this article is an obstacle to both its readability and to the central argument, which seems artificially imposed.
Fredriksen-Goldsen, K. I., Hoy-Ellis, C. P., (2007). Caregiving with pride. Journal of Gay and Lesbian Social Services, 18:3-4, (pp. 1-13) – A book length investigation of caregiving and care receiving in the LGBTQ community, with chapters on HIV/AIDs caregiving, American Native Two-Spirit experiences, and services and policies in marginalized communities.
Gabrielson, M. L., Holston, E. C., & Dyck, M. J., (2014). “Are they family or friends?”: Social support instrument reliability in studying older lesbians. Journal of Homosexuality, 61:11 (pp. 1589 – 1604) – This study focuses using the Lubben Social Network Scale, Revised (LSNS-R) to test an all lesbian elderly population in the U.S. Midwest and provides subsequent analysis.
Gardner, A. T., de Vries, B., & Mockus, D. S., (2014). Aging Out in the Desert: Disclosure, Acceptance, and Service Use Among Midlife and Older Lesbians and Gay Men, Journal of Homosexuality, 61:1, (pp. 129-144) – This article discusses the perceptions and apprehensions that older Lesbian and Gay men have when accessing older care services and discusses how services could be improved to address these concerns.
Hardacker, C. T., Rubinstein, B., Hotton, A., & Houlberg, M., (2013). Adding silver to the rainbow: the development of the nurses’ health education about LGBT elders (HEALE) cultural competency curriculum. Journal of Nursing Development, 22:2 (pp. 257-266) – This article discusses the introduction of a six-part training module for nurses and health care workers on how to administer to the needs of LGBT elders.
Harley D.A., Stansbury K.L., Nelson M., Espinosa C.T. (2014) A Profile of Rural African American Lesbian Elders: Meeting Their Needs. In: Vakalahi H., Simpson G., Giunta N. (eds) The Collective Spirit of Aging Across Cultures. International Perspectives on Aging, vol 9. Springer, Dordrecht. – A chapter profile from The Collective Spirit of Aging Across Cultures, which evaluates the needs of rural African American lesbian elders and addresses issues such as age, race, gender, and sexual orientation within the context of rural communities.
Hash, K. M., Rogers, A., (2017). Contemporary issues and future directions in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender aging. Springer publishing company. – A book length, annual review of current issues facing LGBT elders and future directions for research and assistance programming.
Hayes, Eileen M. (2010). Songs in Black and Lavender: Race, sexual politics, and women’s music. University of Illinois Press. – An evaluation and critique of music festivals in the formation of lesbian communities by the prominent scholar Eileen M. Hayes.
Hepburn, C., Gutierrez, B., (1988). Alive & Well. The Crossing Press. – A well-informed guide to a wide range of concerns within the lesbian community, including but not limited to, aging, nutrition, mental and physical health, and coping with homophobia.
Hostetler, A. J., (2012). Community involvement, perceived control, and attitudes towards aging among lesbians and gay men. International Journal of Aging & Human Development, 75:2 (pp. 141-167) – This study explores perceived autonomy and self control, influences of community, and their attributions to positive outlooks on aging.
Johnson, E. P., (2019). Black. Queer. Southern. Women.: An oral history. The University of North Carolina Press Books. – This text examines how African American queer women experience and express their racial, sexual, gender, and class identities within the context of the American South, where their identities are marginalized from mainstream society.
Nystrom, N. M., Jones, T. C., (2003). Community building with aging and old lesbians. American Journal of Community Psychology, 31:3-4, (pp.293-300) – This article discusses the beginnings of Elder Initiative, a community building effort based on the Kretzmann and McNight model, created and supported by aging and elderly lesbians in a major northwest city.
Pearlberg, G. G. (2004). Aging in Equity: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Elders in America. Funders for LGBTQ Issues. – A report put forth by Funders of LGBT issues which examines issues facing aging LGBT elders including proper housing, health and wellness, economic issues and access to support and assistance services.
Putney, J. M., Leafmeeker, R. R., & Herbert, N., (2016).“The Wisdom of Age”: Perspectives on aging and growth among lesbian older adults. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 59:3, (pp. 234-51) – Another work published in the Journal of Gerontological Social Work, this article evaluates the stressors and challenges of lesbian elders and charts their coping skills and growth against adversity as they age.
Richard, C. A., Brown, A. H., (2006). Configurations of informal social support among older lesbians. Journal of Women & Aging, 18:4 (pp. 49-65) – This qualitative study presents findings on personal experiences of aging in lesbian elders, and focuses on their discussions on social support.
Robinson-Wood, T., Weber, A., Deconstructing multiple oppressions among LGBT older adults In: Harley, D. A. (ed.) Handbook of LGBT Elders : An Interdisciplinary Approach to Principles, Practices, and Policies, (pp.65-81). Springer International Publishing. This introductory chapter of Handbook of LGBT Elders, examines the layers of oppression that face LGBT elders including discrimination based on sexual orientation, race, ability, and financial standing and confronts these layers of discrimination by deconstructing the assumptions of normalcy.
Van Sluytman, L. G. Torres, D. (2014). Hidden or uninvited? A content analysis of elder LGBT of color literature in gerontology. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 57:1-4 (pp.130-160) – Though a content analysis of 64 articles on LGBT gerontology, this article found that focus on the needs of LGBT Seniors of Color are rarely examined and under researched.
Westwood, S., (2018). Aging, Gender and Sexuality: equality in later life. Routledge. – Using a Feminist socio-legal framework, this book points out how inequalities based on age, gender, and sexuality play out in relation to temporal, spatial, and regulatory contexts.
Whipple, Victoria. (2014). Lesbian Widows: Invisible grief. Routledge.– A book length investigation of grieving and recovery among lesbian widows along with the unique financial and legal challenges they face as homosexual women.
Willis, P. (2017). Queer, visible, present: The visibility of old LGB adults in long-term care environments. Housing, Care, and Support, 20:3 (pp. 110-120) – This article discusses how the experiences, histories, and politics of LGB elders can be and currently are made visible. Furthermore, this article problematizes strategies of visibility as methods of social inclusion in care environments.
Woody, I., (2014). Aging Out: A Qualitative Exploration of Ageism and Heterosexism Among Aging African American Lesbians and Gay Men, Journal of Homosexuality, 61:1, (pp. 145-165)– This article presents a qualitative study based in feminist and minority stress theories, which explores issues of perceived social discrimination and alienation in 15 African American Elders.
Standing on the bones of our ancestors: exploring the role of the gay and lesbian tribal elder, 2018. – Conference pamphlet that questions how to bring tribal elders, adults, and youth together to envision and engage in an supportive intergenerational community. Article also includes short bios of conference speakers at the Standing on the Bones of Our Ancestors Conference of June 7, 2003.
International:
Fokkema, C. M., & Kuyper, L. (2009). The relation between social embeddedness and loneliness among older lesbian, gay and bisexual adults in the Netherlands. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 38(2), 264-275. -(Netherlands) – A study examining how low social embeddedness, defined as having connections to a person’s community through personal interactions, may cause a higher rate of loneliness in LGBT elders compared to their heterosexual counterparts in the Netherlands.
Harley, D. A., Alston, R. J., (2016). American Indian, Alaska Native, and Canadian Aboriginal Two-Spirit/LGBTQ elderly, In: Harley, D. A. (ed.) Handbook of LGBT Elders : An Interdisciplinary Approach to Principles, Practices, and Policies, (pp.135-158). Springer International Publishing. A chapter of Handbook of LGBT Elders which looks at the status of Two-Spirit elders in Indigenous communities including the roles of Two-Spirit and elders in tribal communities, service utilization by Two-Spirit elders, and policy implications. Tradition and history on Two-Spirit identity is included for the context of this discussion.
Harley, D. A., (2016). Asian American and Native Pacific Islander LGBTQ elders, In: Harley, D. A. (ed.) Handbook of LGBT Elders : An Interdisciplinary Approach to Principles, Practices, and Policies, (pp.159-176). Springer International Publishing. – (Asia and the Pacific Islands) – A chapter of Handbook of LGBT Elders which discusses issues relating to LGBT Asian-American and Pacific Islander people living in the United States. This chapter focuses on attitudes of Asian-Americans towards LGBT people, issues faced by Asian-American LGBT Elders, and current health policies and practices.
Meri-Esh, O., Doron, I., (2009). Aging with pride in Israel: An Israeli perspective on the meaning of homosexuality in old age, Ageing International, 34:1-2, (pp. 42-59) – (Israel) – This article explores the lived experiences of aging gay men and lesbian women in Israel, further discussing the challenges, discrimination, but also aspects of liberation that come with age.
Phillips, J., Marks, G., (2008). Ageing Lesbians: Marginalising Discourses and Social Exclusion in the Aged Care Industry. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services, 20:1-2 (pp. 187-202) – (Australia) This article looks at how aged care facilities fail to meet the needs of Lesbian elders in Victoria, Australia, and how this limits the potential of providing safe, inclusive, and appropriate aged care services.
Stinchcombe, A., Kortes-Miller, K., & Wilson K., (2016). Perspectives on the final stages of life from LGBT elders living in Ontario. Law Commission of Ontario. – (Canada) This report examines how experiences of sexual and gendered diversity, both positive and negative, affect the final stages of life in the LGBT community in Ontario.
Theses/Dissertations
Aldrich, B. M. (2004). Older adult lesbians’ perceptions of health care experiences and the aging process. (Publication No. 1423142) [Master’s Thesis, California State University-Long Beach]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing. – This study provides the perceptions of 15 lesbian elders aged 50 or older on topics such as health care services, access to services, and the aging process.
Deeney, K. J. (2003). Lesbian aging and the effects of homophobia. (Publication No. 1415446) [Master’s thesis, California State University-Long Beach]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing. Through in-depth interviews with 10 self-identified lesbian adults, this study discusses family and community beliefs about homosexuality, identity concealment, social support related to aging, and institutionalization and homophobia.
Hash, K. M. (2001). Caregiving and post-caregiving experiences of midlife and older gay men and lesbians. (Publication No. 3008638) [Doctoral dissertation, Virginia Commonwealth University]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing. – This study looks at the particular experiences of lesbian and gay caregivers taking care of partners with chronic or long-term illness through in-depth interviews with 19 self-identified gay men and lesbians over the age of 50. This paper also looks at the post-caregiving experiences of these caregivers and their perceptions of access to service support.
Martinez, J. & Rubin, N. (2016). Examining the complex relationship between attachment, depression and anxiety in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender elderly compared to heterosexual cisgender elders. (Publication No. 10181483) [Master’s thesis, Brenau University]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing. – This study used the State Trait Personality Inventory and the Relationships Questionnaire to examine the relationship between attachment, depression, and anxiety in LGBT elderly compared with heterosexual cisgender elders.
Putney, J. M. (2012). “Souldog”: The perceived impact of companion animals on older adult lesbians. (Publication No. 3525550) [Doctoral Dissertation, Simmons College School of Social Work]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing. – This study examined how companion dogs can improve the well being of older lesbian adults on six main points; self-acceptance, positive relationships with others, personal growth, life purpose, autonomy, and environmental mastery.
Sullivan, K. M. (2011). The experience of senior housing for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender seniors: An exploratory study. (Publication No. 3459799) [Doctoral dissertation, Portland State University]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing. – This study explores the benefits LGBT elders perceived and experienced in living in an LGBT senior retirement community.
