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