The Gerontologist 45:284 (2005)
© 2005 The Gerontological Society of America
THREE VIDEOS ON GAY AND LESBIAN ELDERS
Robert E. Yahnke
yahnk001{at}umn.edu
Although there are numerous educational videos on a variety of topics relating to gay and lesbian issues—for instance, adolescence, gender and sexuality, gay couples and families, transgender and transsexual stories, HIV and AIDS, coming-out stories, gays in the pulpit, diversity and multiculturalism in gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) communities, and historical views of the gay rights' movement—few videos have addressed concerns relevant to GLBT elders. Four significant videos on gay and lesbian elders were reviewed in The Gerontologist in the last 10 years. The most significant video to address the experiences of GLBT elders was Silent Pioneers: Gay and Lesbian Elders (39, 5, 1999). This video told the story of eight elderly gays and lesbians who struggled to maintain their dignity and self-esteem at a time when the rights of gays and lesbians were not acknowledged. In another column (38, 2, 1998), the life and work of a famous lesbian poet and journal writer, May Sarton, was reviewed in May Sarton: Old Age is a Foreign Country. The story of a young lesbian woman's emotional struggles with her mother's Alzheimer's Disease was the focus of Complaints of a Dutiful Daughter (35, 5, 1995). A recent column on elder housing (44, 6, 2004) included a review of Pink Sunset Villa. This video provides a useful study of elder gays and lesbians, in this case in the Netherlands, as they prepare to move into a new housing complex designed specifically to meet their needs.
But gerontologists need more perspectives on GLBT elders and models of successful aging as they relate to the experiences of GLBT elders. It is hoped that this column will broaden our understanding of the varied experience of aging from the point of view of GLBT elders. The first review, Gay and Gray in New York City, follows in the footsteps of Silent Pioneers: Gay and Lesbian Elders by portraying specific elders who tell their stories and also addressing the need for a generational sharing and mentoring in order to assist younger generations of gays and lesbians to feel more accepted and recognized within our society. The second review, Living With Pride: Ruth Ellis @ 100, provides an effective role model for younger gays and lesbians and illustrates the importance of understanding the historical context of the power of an individual's character and her outreach to the wider GLBT community. Readers may learn more about Ruth Ellis on two web sites, one sponsored by the video's distributor, Our Film Works, at www.sisterinlife.com, and one sponsored by the Lesbian History Project, at http://www-lib.usc.edu/
retter/ruthmain.html. The third video, Ruthie and Connie: Every Room in the House, again portrays a strong set of role models in this celebration of two lesbian women, whose committed relationship, in the context of a strong religious tradition, suggests the potential for a transformed society that will accept all members of the GLBT community as full and equal partners.
