Sex & Gender

feature: “building community for the black lgbt aging” (via elixher)

December 16, 2015

“As LGBTQ/SGL people of African descent, we often have to fight for acceptance in society at large and in Black communities. Imagine growing older, retiring, looking for housing and having to add ageism to this battle,” writes Dr. Imani Woody in a new Elixher OP:ED on the Black LGBT community’s aging population . “For many, these challenges translate into fear, isolation, depression, going back into the closet and even suicide,” she adds. Dr. Imani Woody is the founding director, President and CEO of a LGBT friendly residential housing organization in Washington, DC, called Mary’s House for Older Adults. CLICK HERE to read her full write up (entitled “Building community for the Black LGBT aging”) and find an extract below.

By Alexander Aplerku, AFROPUNK Contributor

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“At 40, I threw a blowout birthday bash and invited women in their 20s, in their 50s and in between. I even bought a t-shirt that proudly read, “This is what 40 looks like.” Later, I joined Nubian Women, a social justice group for mature women of African descent, and went on to become the president. The sheroes of this group included Joanna Banks, Linda Leeks, and Marquita Sykes, all of whom valued older, Black, women-loving-women women and mentored younger sisters like me. I created the Celebration of Life: A Living Wake Program to celebrate generations of women of African descent. At that time, getting older was something to look forward to. I was grown, gifted, Black, and a woman. What could be better? I was in my prime. But the reality of growing older is that with the perks come the pangs.”

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