Developing Anti-Oppressive Empowering Social Work Practice with Older Lesbian Women and Gay Men

Abstract

Available studies suggest that around 10 per cent of the population might self-identify as a lesbian woman or gay man (Davies and Neal, 1996). It follows that social workers will engage with older people who are homosexual. It does not follow that they will know who they are, as this is a group often characterized by its invisibility. This paper reports the results of a small-scale, exploratory study which examined how older les bian women and gay men perceived their needs should they become ill or disabled as they age (Langley, 1997). Their concerns were viewed in the context of their past as well as present lives, and oppression was a unifying theme. Some of the findings are examined in order to highlight key challenges for social work practice. These include: (i) working with invisibility and fear of oppression; (ii) developing awareness and recog nition of lesbian and gay relationships and supportive networks; (iii) the need for anti oppressive empowering services which match the needs and circumstances of older lesbian women and gay men; (iv) importantly, the need for greater awareness of the heterosexist assumptions which influence institutional responses and individual prac tice.