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Historical and social forces in the Iridescent Life Course: key life events and experiences of transgender older adults
- Karen Fredriksen-Goldsen, Charles A. Emlet, Vanessa D. Fabbre, Hyun-Jun Kim, Justin Lerner, Hailey H. Jung, Vern Harner, Jayn Goldsen
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- Journal:
- Ageing & Society , First View
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 12 October 2022, pp. 1-23
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- Article
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The lives of transgender older adults are rarely examined, and little is known about the critical life events and experiences of this population. Informed by the Iridescent Life Course, this study investigates how intersectionality, fluidity, context and power impact the life events and experiences of trans older adults by generation and gender. Utilising 2014 data from the National Health, Aging, and Sexuality/Gender Study: Aging with Pride (National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Aging funded), a national sample of LGBTQ+ individuals 50 years and older, living in the United States of America, were analysed to examine life events of 205 transgender older adults, including identity development, work, bias, kin relationships, social and community engagement, health and wellbeing. Ordinary least-squares regressions and logistics regressions are used to compare the life events between the generations then test the interaction effect of gender. Pride Generation more openly disclose their identities and are more likely to be employed and married compared to the Silenced Generation, who have more military service, higher rates of retirement, fewer same-sex marriages and more different-sex marriages. Invisible Generation, the oldest group, are more likely retired, have more children and are more likely engaged in the community compared to the Silenced Generation, who experienced more discrimination. Applying the Iridescent Life Course is instrumental in understanding older trans adults' lives through intersecting identities of both generation and gender. These insights have the potential to create a greater appreciation of how historical events shape differing generations of transgender people, creating an opportunity to link generations together.
four - Transgender ageing: community resistance and well-being in the life course
- Edited by Andrew King, University of Surrey, Kathryn Almack, University of Hertfordshire, Rebecca L. Jones, The Open University
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- Book:
- Intersections of Ageing, Gender and Sexualities
- Published by:
- Bristol University Press
- Published online:
- 27 April 2022
- Print publication:
- 21 March 2019, pp 47-62
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Summary
Introduction
A small but growing field of social research is emerging on the topic of trans ageing. This scholarship is situated within the larger field of LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) ageing and highlights the challenges to health and well-being that many transgender adults experience as they age. In this chapter we will briefly summarise the empirical landscape concerning the well-being of transgender older adults, present the theoretical perspectives we are using, and then present insights from two social science projects carried out in Sweden and the US. We derive these insights by using queer and life-course perspectives on the intersections of age, gender and sexuality and conclude with a discussion of the meaning of well-being for transgender adults whose lives exist at these intersections.
Trans ageing: empirical landscape
The Trans MetLife Survey on Later-Life Preparedness and Perceptions in Transgender-Identified Individuals (TMLS) is the largest internationally distributed online survey to date of trans-identified people (N=1,963) that addresses how ageing affects perceived possibilities to live accordingly to one's gender identity (Witten, 2013). Respondents, who were majority white (92%), reported significant fears of becoming ill and being involuntarily outed and not receiving the care they will need at the end of their lives. Many respondents (who were not lesbian, gay and bisexual identified) also expressed worry that they would be ‘lumped together’ with lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) ageing services where they did not feel comfortable (Witten, 2009, 2013; Witten and Eyler, 2012). These experiences vary by age, sexual orientation, and gender identities (Witten, 2016), religious affiliation and spiritual practices (Porter et al., 2013), and experiences of family and community (Witten, 2009).
The Caring and Ageing with Pride project, a survey study in the US of 2,560 LGBT adult respondents aged 50 and older (159 of whom identified as transgender), also offers insights into the health and wellbeing of transgender older adults (Fredriksen-Goldsen et al., 2011). This study found that transgender older adults are at significantly higher risk of poor physical health, disability, depressive symptomatology and perceived stress in comparison to non-transgender LGB older adults (Fredriksen-Goldsen et al., 2013). Fear among participants to access health-care services, coupled with internalised stigma and victimisation, were significant mediators in the relationship between gender identity and health outcomes (Fredriksen-Goldsen et al., 2011; 2013).