Safe Spaces

Rainbow Elders

 

"Rainbow Elders Calgary (REC) was formed in 2018 to meet a need that many older LGBTQ+ people felt was lacking in the community; a niche was not being addressed. The older queer community was feeling unrepresented and unseen in society. This is a lesson that many adults
learn once they reach their golden years. Ageism is real. One can't fully understand or comprehend it until you live it. Being in the queer community is hard enough and even tougher as we age.
Many stories circulate about queer and trans folk, upon entering a long-term care or assisted living facility, feel they have to go back into the closet and hide their true identity. Many felt this was the only way to deal with a homophobic and transphobic population. Safety and security are integral parts of our human existence. As we age, sometimes we have to rely on others to feel more secure. In the past, we may have had partners and/or friends to help us cope with life, but as we grow older, we often lose our support networks. Partners die, friends die, children move away or are not part of our lives at all. Many in our community are also coming out later in life for a variety of reasons. This has always been a difficult decision for anyone and is now more complicated due to family dynamics. Will I lose my family and friends to become the person I was meant to be?
Rainbow Elders hopes to help fill the gap that many of us are experiencing in our lives and to feel welcomed by our peers so that we can be who we really are. There is no one here who will judge you. All are welcome in our group. We are lesbian, we are gay, we are trans, we are all
over the rainbow, we just have a few more wrinkles and grey hair."

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