Sexual and gender diversity, ageing and elder care in South Africa: voices and realities

Abstract

While South Africa is a world leader in terms of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) rights, the disjuncture between policy and practice—especially for more invisible cohorts within LGBTI communities—means that the formal rights that exist are often not translated into practice. There is no research to date in South Africa on sexual and gender minority ageing and LGBTI elders remain almost entirely invisible in terms of policy and public service provision. The chapter focuses on African perspectives on ageing and presents the narrative account of an older lesbian couple. Findings are that the experiences of ageing for African LGBTI elders are necessarily inflected through community norms and through power, privilege and oppression. Recommendations include the capacitation of home based support services to engage the needs of LGBTI elders and the inclusion of sexual and gender diversity in policy and approaches to the care of older people