Abstract
A preoccupation with heteronormative metrics of success in aging leaves many studies of “LGBT aging” focused on the needs, failings, and vulnerabilities of older LGBTQ2IA+ people (i.e. lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, two-spirit, intersex, asexual, and people of other nonnormative sexual and gender expressions). As a result, LGBTQ2IA+ olders are frequently depicted as isolated, re-closeted, or simply nonexistent. Heeding calls to intervene into such bleak and pathologizing portrayals of queer/ trans aging (e.g. Ramirez-Valles 2016; Sandberg & Marshall 2017), this article explores diverse subjectivities, nonnormative aging experiences, and their potential intergenerational implications. It draws on stories of queerness, gender, aging, futurity, and social change from 13 LGBTQ2IA+ people ranging in age from 23 to 74, recorded in an intergenerational research-generation workshop held in Nogojiwanong (Peterborough, Canada) in 2018. This article argues that queer and trans stories are crucial to confronting the erasure of LGBTQ2IA+ aging, aiming to extend ongoing efforts within aging studies to queer concepts of successful aging, aging futures, generativity, and intergenerationality. Ultimately, this article aims to complicate constricted understandings of queer/trans aging, instead of depicting LGBTQ2IA+ people aging with connection, pride, learning, and purpose, as well as with struggle and vulnerability.
Highlights
Part of it is my own resistance to... the box that I grew up in... [] I appreciate that my world is broader and includes all colours of the rainbow
At the intersections of critical aging studies and queer studies, the interpretation we offer in this article engages with – seeks to extend and queer – concepts of aging futures, generativity, and intergenerationality, while challenging certain assumptions about queer futurity and LGBTQ2IA+ experience more generally
We explore storytellers’ connections to future generations and articulations of queer generativities, recognizing that few studies offer alternative practices or visions of generativity based on such perspectives (Hostetler 2009)
Summary
Part of it is my own resistance to... the box that I grew up in... [] I appreciate that my world is broader and includes all colours of the rainbow. – Sandy, 27 years old Throughout academic and popular discourse, older LGBTQ2IA+ people (including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, two-spirit, intersex, asexual people, and others whose sexual and gender identities do not conform to heterosexual and cisgender norms1) are frequently depicted as vulnerable, isolated, re-closeted, or nonexistent (Brown 2009; Hurd et al 2020).. Analyses that delve into the complexities of aging futures among people of diverse subjectivities remain scarce (Brown 2009; Goltz 2013). Ophelian & Florez 2016); yet, there remains a need for more sustained, nuanced, and theoretically engaged understandings of diverse, nonnormative aging experiences and their potential intergenerational implications (Jones 2011; Sandberg & Marshall 2017) Critics do continuously intervene into these bleak portrayals of aging and futurity (e.g. Ophelian & Florez 2016); yet, there remains a need for more sustained, nuanced, and theoretically engaged understandings of diverse, nonnormative aging experiences and their potential intergenerational implications (Jones 2011; Sandberg & Marshall 2017)
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