Older and Out: Understanding Oregon's Aging LGBTQ+ Population

I want to let you in on a little secret: I’m getting older. So are all of you. Minute by minute, time marches on, and all we can do is try to keep up to the best of our abilities. Getting old isn’t easy, and we often don’t get to choose how and when circumstances lead us to directly address the hard facts that maybe we’re already there (I can tell when a storm is coming with more accuracy than NOAA in some of my joints these days).

One thing we do know: We’re not alone. Large percentages of our population are entering retirement age, needing access to Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid, and even looking at changing their living situations. An estimated 3.4% of Oregonians over the age of 55 are LGBTQ, based on a 2021 survey performed by the Goldsen Institute and the Oregon Department of Human Services. The extensive research they did ended up highlighting a number of items of greater concern for many respondents than for our heterosexual counterparts. We have a larger population of people of color. We are more likely to live alone, lack equal economic or housing stability, and concerns about discrimination in health and housing care. In their words, “...it will be critical to further extend the initial work and advocacy of LGBTQ+ organizations to promote partnerships between these communities, aging agencies, and state and local policymakers to develop a comprehensive approach to addressing [the] aging and health needs of LGBTQ+ older adults.”

Brandy Penner, executive director of the Oregon LGBTQ+ Aging Coalition is one such person working to build and promote those partnerships. For over a decade, the organization operated as a volunteer coalition of mostly retired people, promoting education and advocacy. It holds a monthly Zoom forum with a variety of speakers on issues that directly affect this population: from the Oregon Queer History Collective to local initiatives and legal challenges and everything in between.

A little over a year ago, a private angel investor was able to provide funding for an operating budget, and while Penner is currently the first paid employee, the coalition is pushing to increase its overall operations so as to sustainably work for our growing population for many years to come. A new public-facing website is expected soon, where current advocacy projects, information on past progress, and a calendar of events and meeting presentations can all be easily accessed. In the meantime, examples of the coalition’s hard work can be seen are on the Oregon.gov website.

SB 99 established a LGBTQIA2S+ subcommittee of the Governor’s Commission on Senior Services, made up of local citizens. One of the items that has grown out of this group is the Respect Program, a targeted campaign to create awareness and empowerment for older people who may be experiencing abuse and may not recognize it or know who to ask for help. If you or someone you know in Oregon is experiencing abuse, you can always call the SAFE Line at 855-503-SAFE (7233). If you would like more information on the Governor’s Commission, or are interested in joining, you can email lgbtqia2s.commission@odhs.oregon.gov.

In addition to addressing LGBTQ+ concerns, Penner is also trying to create a resource library and connecting point for all of the issues that nobody can escape, such as an end-of-life guide, educational materials on how to be an advocate, and a direct connection to a variety of organizations, like housing coalitions and Elder Pride Services. Penner and all the many volunteers around the state see fighting for social justice — reminding us “we are still here” as we age — as completely worth the struggle.

Moreover, the coalition will also continue to survey the population about who we are and what we need, because as we grow, so do our priorities. What with political divides driving some who fear discrimination in other states to move here, the possibility that the original volunteer sample population was underreported, and the greater visibility of the work being done to support older Oregonians, we may see an even larger level of need and a broadening of who is included in the demographics.

Discrimination continues to be a great concern. Twenty-five percent of respondents reported not being open with their personal doctor regarding their orientation, and also shared concerns about not being able to be out if they need to move into an assisted or full-care living situation. “Over half of participants had unmet needs for at least one service, said the 2021 survey. The highest rates of unmet needs include social support services, mental health/substance use treatments, information and referral services, adult day programs, medical and health services, and housing services.”

The United States Census does not address LGBTQ issues in any of its data collection, but in the overall population, we are seeing similar trends. When data on adults without children was analyzed, the likelihood of living alone was twice as likely as living with parents (whether a family member or other person). The fear of isolation, even in such a broad and supportive community, is one that cannot just be fixed with a rainbow sticker.

Data aside, I get a warm and fuzzy feeling from all of this. When my bones creak, when my friends and I pick a matinee instead of hitting the club, and when I get the constant social media ads that somehow know I need more fiber, I can rest assured that I have all those that have come before me once again forging the way forward. Hopefully we can all make that journey less strenuous than ones we’ve endured in the past.