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8 Conclusion
- Johns Hopkins University Press
- Chapter
- Additional Information
a. evan eyler, m.d., m.p.h. Older adults will be the largest demographic group in North America for approximately the next two decades, as the cohort of persons born in the 20 years following World War II enters the elder years. This weighty population cohort will continue to expand the ranks of each subgroup of older adults, including, ultimately, the oldest old, until approximately 2030. Health and human service professionals who work with older adults are well advised to study both the common history shared by people of this age and the specific beliefs and customs of the cultural subgroups within this age cohort. Many stages of development shaped the shared history, perspectives, and expectations of persons who are now entering older adulthood and the elder years. These include childhood, during the postwar manufacturing and economic boom; adolescence, or young adulthood, during the Vietnam War and the years of struggle for civil rights for women and members of racial minorities; and middle adulthood, during decades of growth in information technology. Within this larger cohort of older persons, particular experiential histories have influenced the beliefs and customs of members of specific population subgroups . Life as a member of a particular gender, racial, or ethnic group, living in Conclusion c h a p t e r e i g h t C o n c l u s i o n 291 defined economic circumstances and within the influence of religion and regional culture, shapes the experience of aging and the hopes and skills with which individuals enter the elder years. Members of sexual* and gender minorities, including gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons, have always been present in the elderly population but only recently have become identifiable. Although variation in sex development, gender identity, sexual orientation, and partner choice is inherent in human biological and social evolution, Western cultures have usually regarded sex, gender, and sexual orientation as existing within a binary system and have attempted to eliminate evidence of variations in sex development and gender identity through medical treatment, mental health interventions, and sometimes social harassment . Homosexual and bisexual orientation and behavior also have been suppressed , through legal sanctions, psychological and medical “treatments,” and social victimization. During the last four decades of the twentieth century, sexual and gender minorities emerged as visible cultural groups. As a result of vigorous activism by members of these communities, their families, and supporters, substantial progress has been made in eroding stigma, harassment, and legal discrimination, although much remains to be gained. The expanding population of older adults and the greater visibility of sexual and gender minority persons—of all ages—within North American culture mean that helping professionals will interact with clients, patients, and service consumers who self-identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, intersex,† gender atypical, or transgender with increasing frequency. Demographic estimates regarding sexual and gender minority populations in the United States and worldwide are discussed by Tarynn M. Witten in chapter 1. Most educational and training programs in medicine, nursing, psychology, social work, health administration, and related fields include instruction in the beliefs and practices of a variety of religious, ethnic, and cultural groups, with the goal of improving their graduates’ cultural competency. Sexual and gender * The terms sexual minority and sexuality minority are used interchangeably. Both appear in the current LGBT literature with generally equivalent meaning, most often referring to persons who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or queer identified. † The professional terminology and political culture regarding intersex/DSD/variation in sex development is currently evolving and, in some respects, being contested. The term intersex is employed in this discussion because it refers to an aspect of personal identity rather than medical biology and is employed by many adults who consider this a crucial aspect of their personhood. DSD is also used because this has come into greater usage in recent years. Please refer to chapter 6 for additional discussion regarding terminology and its implications in this regard. [52.90.40.84] Project MUSE (2024-03-28 09:01 GMT) 292 g a y , l e s b i a n , b i s e x u a l , a n d t r a n s g e n d e r a g i n g minorities are now sometimes included in these curricula. However, the specific concerns of older sexual and gender minority persons have rarely been addressed. This book is a beginning effort in that regard. Minority status and particular community culture influence the experience of...