1 00:00:12,619 --> 00:00:16,899 A lot of people believe that you just live happily ever after, and that just 2 00:00:17,709 --> 00:00:18,430 is a myth. 3 00:00:25,709 --> 00:00:28,979 People like ourselves older who are hiding in nursing 4 00:00:28,979 --> 00:00:32,250 homes or whatever because they are scared to death. 5 00:00:32,418 --> 00:00:35,610 It's incredibly common to go back into the closet again. 6 00:00:35,830 --> 00:00:36,970 You just know 7 00:00:37,380 --> 00:00:37,900 when 8 00:00:38,299 --> 00:00:39,459 they don't want you there. 9 00:00:40,759 --> 00:00:42,889 We've heard about homemakers going in, 10 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:48,790 taking out a Bible, and having the elder pray and asking for forgiveness. 11 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:49,680 And to be cured. 12 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:51,919 It's not too late for you to be cured of this. 13 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:54,049 They go back in the closet. 14 00:00:54,169 --> 00:00:57,000 She might mistreat me or abuse me. 15 00:00:57,209 --> 00:01:00,970 They're so afraid of that they are resisting any kind of medical attention. 16 00:01:03,250 --> 00:01:06,739 That person was in their mid-twenties during the McCarthy era. 17 00:01:06,930 --> 00:01:08,250 The closet was the norm. 18 00:01:08,529 --> 00:01:09,519 They could lose their job. 19 00:01:09,610 --> 00:01:10,250 They could lose, 20 00:01:10,330 --> 00:01:10,510 you know, 21 00:01:10,690 --> 00:01:11,629 families. 22 00:01:11,930 --> 00:01:12,720 We were sick. 23 00:01:12,989 --> 00:01:13,580 We were sick. 24 00:01:13,650 --> 00:01:14,959 We were considered sick. 25 00:01:15,290 --> 00:01:19,319 People were involuntarily hospitalized in psychiatric facilities. 26 00:01:19,849 --> 00:01:21,199 Even electroshock. 27 00:01:21,449 --> 00:01:24,169 The degradation of these people is so complete that 28 00:01:24,169 --> 00:01:28,599 their sex satisfaction come only in being tortured themselves. 29 00:01:29,010 --> 00:01:29,190 I 30 00:01:29,250 --> 00:01:30,480 was on the route 31 00:01:30,489 --> 00:01:31,370 to the nut farm. 32 00:01:32,330 --> 00:01:35,800 So, there's a real distrust of mainstream institutions. 33 00:01:37,370 --> 00:01:39,110 I would never put myself 34 00:01:39,279 --> 00:01:40,069 in danger. 35 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:40,779 I well. 36 00:01:42,790 --> 00:01:46,769 He became much more fearful of people knowing that he was gay. 37 00:01:47,349 --> 00:01:48,760 You're not leaving now. 38 00:01:48,989 --> 00:01:50,069 Are you? Not right now. 39 00:01:56,610 --> 00:01:59,690 LGBT elders are more likely than the general population to 40 00:01:59,690 --> 00:02:02,959 age alone because many gay elders never had children, 41 00:02:03,050 --> 00:02:05,919 have not had great relationships with their families of origin. 42 00:02:06,290 --> 00:02:08,279 There would be a higher degree of 43 00:02:08,649 --> 00:02:10,770 sort of alienation and isolation. 44 00:02:14,039 --> 00:02:17,710 My family was the reason I existed, and I lost them all. 45 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:21,050 If they ever choose to catch up before I die, 46 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:22,220 I 47 00:02:22,279 --> 00:02:23,559 welcome them. 48 00:02:28,460 --> 00:02:32,039 The LGBT aging issues are an epidemic. 49 00:02:32,369 --> 00:02:34,800 There's a small and growing group of us. 50 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:39,080 We're trying to go into the existing network until they become more inclusive. 51 00:02:39,330 --> 00:02:41,160 One of the most common lines we get it's like 52 00:02:41,529 --> 00:02:42,970 we don't have any gay elders here. 53 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:48,350 If I wasn't the only person responsible for Alexander, 54 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:50,190 I would have ended my life. 55 00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:51,949 This is our life. 56 00:02:53,330 --> 00:02:54,179 Good to see ya. 57 00:02:57,300 --> 00:03:04,009 I build this hell and paradise with a new step every day. 58 00:03:04,910 --> 00:03:07,929 We have a whole generation of people who don't know who we are. 59 00:03:08,250 --> 00:03:10,779 That's really sad because you're missing out on a lot. 60 00:03:13,100 --> 00:03:13,830 We know a lot. 61 00:03:16,339 --> 00:03:17,500 We did a lot for you. 62 00:03:17,619 --> 00:03:19,929 You wouldn't be here if it weren't for us. 63 00:03:23,059 --> 00:03:24,889 Look at how scrawny they are. 64 00:03:25,100 --> 00:03:28,369 Too bad I don't have an open casket. 65 00:03:28,860 --> 00:03:28,979 Well, 66 00:03:29,059 --> 00:03:30,690 there'll be no open casket. 67 00:03:30,820 --> 00:03:31,809 There won't be anything, 68 00:03:31,899 --> 00:03:32,240 right? 69 00:03:33,309 --> 00:03:37,149 If we are saying come out and and be filled with pride, 70 00:03:37,300 --> 00:03:39,020 it's our responsibility 71 00:03:39,270 --> 00:03:42,619 to make sure that continues right through their last day.