Some Best Practices Around the World for LGBTI+ elders-I: “Age of Diversity” from UK
22/02/2024 | 17 Mayıs
Age of Diversity is a non-governmental organization founded in 2009 after the closure of the “Polari” organization.
40+ Lubunya Initiative was established in 2019 by a cohort of 40 and 50+ LGBTI+ activists from different organizations most of whom are the persons initiated the LGBTI+ movement in Turkey having more than 20 years of experience. It held its first meeting in Bolu on December 14-15, 2019 and discussed good examples regarding the elderly LGBTI+ community and sought answer to the question "How to grow old together". Then, 40+ Lubunya initiative started to be organized under May 17 Association. Since then, it has implemented various elderly projects under May 17 with the name of LGBTI+ Aging Studies Group and LGBTI+ Aging Studies Programme.
In its last LGBTI+ aging study, May 17’s LGBTI+ Aging Studies Programme got a small support fund until February 2024 from France Embassy to initiate a new era in its LGBTI+ Aging studies in Turkey. Within that scope, it worked with GreyPride NGO from France. The programme welcomed 2 people from France from the GreyPride organization to come to Turkey and stay for 4 days to screen their documentaries here and bring together with other LGBTI+ organizations in Ankara. The programme also organized 1 winter meeting where provided a socializing space for its own community.
Now, the LGBTI+ Aging Studies Programme aims to share with its readers every month between February and May 2024, 4 of some best practices around the world for LGBTI+ elders that have not been included before in 3 different publication that it has prepared within the scope of its different studies in different years since its establishment. At the same time, it plans to organize two different International Experience Sharing Meetings and two different Intergenerational Communication Events via zoom in March and April 2024.
The first best practice to be mentioned herein as a part of such advocacy activities*, is the "Age of Diversity" from UK.
Age of Diversity is a non-governmental organization founded in 2009 after the closure of the “Polari” organization. It is not surprising that "Polari", the name given to the LGBTI+ slang used among LGBTI+ persons in England as being derived by borrowing words from Italian, old French, Yiddish, old English while incorporating slang words from the subcultures of the time, corresponding to "Lubunca" in Turkish, has given its name to such a non-governmental organization.
“Polari” produced the most pioneering studies on LGBTI+ aging from 1993 to 2009. By analyzing the needs and expectations of LGBTI+ elders through surveys, it worked with the aim of better service and of providing information to the field. Some of Polari's activities are to work with national and local government departments to get the needs of LGBTI+ elders on the agenda and advise older LGBTI+ groups how to get their views and needs heard.
"Age of Diversity", to which Polari passed the torch, returned to its default settings together with Polari's founder Lindsay River and stopped receiving external funding. The current aim of Age of Diversity is to represent LGBTI+ elders at national level, promote information by writing to members, send out regular mailings to members and have a UK-wide newsletter, online for those who have Internet access, and in the ordinary mail for those who do not. It also continues to provide research and information for Age UK, one of the largest service organizations in the UK.
* These advocacy studies of LGBTI+ Aging Studies Programme planned between February and May 2024 will be hold within the scope of the "Advancing the rights of LGBTI+ in Turkey" project supported by ILGA Europe.