According to a recent article by the Associated Press, it is becoming easier for people of all ages to come out – especially those in their twilight years.
While the coming out numbers of older generations aren’t tracked formally, those who work with older adults say the trend is undeniable. As a result, a network of support groups and services have cropped up across the US.
“When somebody comes out at the age of 20, they have their whole life ahead of them,” said Karen Taylor, the director of training and advocacy for SAGE, a national group that works with LGBT seniors. “There’s a real sense of regret and loss for somebody who comes out later in life, even when talking to them and they say the decision was the right one.”
The Associate Press profiled a MTF trangendered woman in her seventies who said of her transition, “For the first time ever my life feels like it’s in the right place. I’m going to check out of this world the way I was meant to come into it.”