Abstract
Little is currently known about the aging and later life experiences of older gay men in Britain. This paper seeks to broaden the gerontological understanding of aging for this hitherto invisible group. Using data generated from interviews with 15 homosexual men aged 57-84, the paper argues that traditionally recognized perceptions of aging and transitions from middle to old age are not necessarily reliable indicators of gay men’s experiences. The signposts to aging discussed so far do not account for varied personal characteristics and backgrounds. The framework of aging reminders developed by Karp (2000)1 is shown to be relevant to the perceptions of aging included in the data. However it is argued that these reminders are not necessarily evident just to people in their fifties, and that they may also be experienced in different ways. The paper develops Karp’s model, deconstructing the reminders he introduced to show the variety of ages at which they become evident, the heteronormativity of the existing framework and how this can be reduced, the way reminders inter-connect, and how those relating to the body can usefully be subdivided to elucidate the number of different ways the body can be experienced, highlighting the transition to later life.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.