As more LGBT Floridians get older, new challenges must be addressed by the broader LGBT community. It is estimated that by 2030, six-million LGBT senior citizens will live in the United States— many of whom will retire here in South Florida! The lack of attention brought to this issue is a major problem with little research or data being collected from within our community. Additionally, many LGBT senior citizens living with HIV/AIDS will face unknown dimensions of aging that require our attention.
Until December 2010, the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy of 17 years forced gay and lesbian members of the military to serve in silence. DADT was, in fact, the only law in the nation that forced individuals to lie about their sexual orientation in order to maintain employment.
People who are LGBT face systemic and government sponsored discrimination regularly in employment, housing, public accommodations, personal security, access to health care, the judicial system, and other areas affecting personal civil liberties. Non-discrimination laws ensure that LGBT people have equal access to the same opportunities, benefits, and protections granted to everyone else.
Marriage is about love, commitment, and responsibility. Straight and gay couples want to marry for the same reasons. Banning people who are gay and lesbian from marrying removes their ability to take care of the one they love. Florida is one of the states where people who are gay and lesbian are not allowed to make legal lifelong promises to be responsible for one another.
People who are transgender face some of the most complex forms of discrimination today and unfortunately, most Floridians do not understand their many unique challenges. Many of the everyday-simple tasks we take for granted, like, for example, showing identification for a job interview, can be exceedingly stressful and risky.
Until December 2010, the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy of 17 years forced gay and lesbian members of the military to serve in silence. DADT was, in fact, the only law in the nation that forced individuals to lie about their sexual orientation in order to maintain employment.
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