0:00:12.619,0:00:16.899 A lot of people believe that you just live happily ever after, and that just 0:00:17.709,0:00:18.430 is a myth. 0:00:25.709,0:00:28.979 People like ourselves older who are hiding in nursing 0:00:28.979,0:00:32.250 homes or whatever because they are scared to death. 0:00:32.418,0:00:35.610 It's incredibly common to go back into the closet again. 0:00:35.830,0:00:36.970 You just know 0:00:37.380,0:00:37.900 when 0:00:38.299,0:00:39.459 they don't want you there. 0:00:40.759,0:00:42.889 We've heard about homemakers going in, 0:00:43.080,0:00:48.790 taking out a Bible, and having the elder pray and asking for forgiveness. 0:00:48.880,0:00:49.680 And to be cured. 0:00:49.720,0:00:51.919 It's not too late for you to be cured of this. 0:00:52.880,0:00:54.049 They go back in the closet. 0:00:54.169,0:00:57.000 She might mistreat me or abuse me. 0:00:57.209,0:01:00.970 They're so afraid of that they are resisting any kind of medical attention. 0:01:03.250,0:01:06.739 That person was in their mid-twenties during the McCarthy era. 0:01:06.930,0:01:08.250 The closet was the norm. 0:01:08.529,0:01:09.519 They could lose their job. 0:01:09.610,0:01:10.250 They could lose, 0:01:10.330,0:01:10.510 you know, 0:01:10.690,0:01:11.629 families. 0:01:11.930,0:01:12.720 We were sick. 0:01:12.989,0:01:13.580 We were sick. 0:01:13.650,0:01:14.959 We were considered sick. 0:01:15.290,0:01:19.319 People were involuntarily hospitalized in psychiatric facilities. 0:01:19.849,0:01:21.199 Even electroshock. 0:01:21.449,0:01:24.169 The degradation of these people is so complete that 0:01:24.169,0:01:28.599 their sex satisfaction come only in being tortured themselves. 0:01:29.010,0:01:29.190 I 0:01:29.250,0:01:30.480 was on the route 0:01:30.489,0:01:31.370 to the nut farm. 0:01:32.330,0:01:35.800 So, there's a real distrust of mainstream institutions. 0:01:37.370,0:01:39.110 I would never put myself 0:01:39.279,0:01:40.069 in danger. 0:01:40.760,0:01:40.779 I well. 0:01:42.790,0:01:46.769 He became much more fearful of people knowing that he was gay. 0:01:47.349,0:01:48.760 You're not leaving now. 0:01:48.989,0:01:50.069 Are you? Not right now. 0:01:56.610,0:01:59.690 LGBT elders are more likely than the general population to 0:01:59.690,0:02:02.959 age alone because many gay elders never had children, 0:02:03.050,0:02:05.919 have not had great relationships with their families of origin. 0:02:06.290,0:02:08.279 There would be a higher degree of 0:02:08.649,0:02:10.770 sort of alienation and isolation. 0:02:14.039,0:02:17.710 My family was the reason I existed, and I lost them all. 0:02:18.000,0:02:21.050 If they ever choose to catch up before I die, 0:02:21.919,0:02:22.220 I 0:02:22.279,0:02:23.559 welcome them. 0:02:28.460,0:02:32.039 The LGBT aging issues are an epidemic. 0:02:32.369,0:02:34.800 There's a small and growing group of us. 0:02:35.000,0:02:39.080 We're trying to go into the existing network until they become more inclusive. 0:02:39.330,0:02:41.160 One of the most common lines we get it's like 0:02:41.529,0:02:42.970 we don't have any gay elders here. 0:02:44.240,0:02:48.350 If I wasn't the only person responsible for Alexander, 0:02:48.800,0:02:50.190 I would have ended my life. 0:02:50.600,0:02:51.949 This is our life. 0:02:53.330,0:02:54.179 Good to see ya. 0:02:57.300,0:03:04.009 I build this hell and paradise with a new step every day. 0:03:04.910,0:03:07.929 We have a whole generation of people who don't know who we are. 0:03:08.250,0:03:10.779 That's really sad because you're missing out on a lot. 0:03:13.100,0:03:13.830 We know a lot. 0:03:16.339,0:03:17.500 We did a lot for you. 0:03:17.619,0:03:19.929 You wouldn't be here if it weren't for us. 0:03:23.059,0:03:24.889 Look at how scrawny they are. 0:03:25.100,0:03:28.369 Too bad I don't have an open casket. 0:03:28.860,0:03:28.979 Well, 0:03:29.059,0:03:30.690 there'll be no open casket. 0:03:30.820,0:03:31.809 There won't be anything, 0:03:31.899,0:03:32.240 right? 0:03:33.309,0:03:37.149 If we are saying come out and and be filled with pride, 0:03:37.300,0:03:39.020 it's our responsibility 0:03:39.270,0:03:42.619 to make sure that continues right through their last day.