Comments on: Straights Invade Gay Retirement http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2007/10/08/865 News, analysis and fact-checking of anti-gay rhetoric Sun, 12 Feb 2012 04:03:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Tom Blackburn http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2007/10/08/865/comment-page-1#comment-11496 Tom Blackburn Fri, 30 May 2008 22:03:48 +0000 http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2007/10/08/865#comment-11496 I have been looking for affordable housing for gay retirees in North Carolina. Currently I am living in Perquimans County and keeping my sexual orientation to myself. The one place in NC that I found is way out of my league. I have a doublewide on an acre of land and it meets my needs but I am 15 miles from the nearest small town. Wonder what gay retirees like myself do when they don't have huge incomes? I have been looking for affordable housing for gay retirees in North Carolina. Currently I am living in Perquimans County and keeping my sexual orientation to myself. The one place in NC that I found is way out of my league. I have a doublewide on an acre of land and it meets my needs but I am 15 miles from the nearest small town. Wonder what gay retirees like myself do when they don’t have huge incomes?

]]> By: Timothy Kincaid http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2007/10/08/865/comment-page-1#comment-3369 Timothy Kincaid Wed, 10 Oct 2007 17:15:50 +0000 http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2007/10/08/865#comment-3369 David, I would stop worrying about whether to report them. California law does not allow discrimination in housing based on sexual orientation and I doubt that the Center could or would try and evict them. Perhaps one way to look at this (and also at the jail situation) is that people at risk are being helped. And that some of those being helped are not gay is no reason to deny them protection or housing. If identifying as gay and going into a pink cell saves the life of an inmate - without endangering gay people - I can hardly see the harm. The reason that gay people are identified as at risk is to protect them, not to advantage them over other at risk heterosexuals. David,

I would stop worrying about whether to report them. California law does not allow discrimination in housing based on sexual orientation and I doubt that the Center could or would try and evict them.

Perhaps one way to look at this (and also at the jail situation) is that people at risk are being helped. And that some of those being helped are not gay is no reason to deny them protection or housing. If identifying as gay and going into a pink cell saves the life of an inmate – without endangering gay people – I can hardly see the harm.

The reason that gay people are identified as at risk is to protect them, not to advantage them over other at risk heterosexuals.

]]> By: David B. http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2007/10/08/865/comment-page-1#comment-3359 David B. Wed, 10 Oct 2007 03:19:30 +0000 http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2007/10/08/865#comment-3359 Affordable, quality, safe senior housing is incredibly difficult to find in Los Angeles. The Gay and Lesbian Center just opened a gay senior housing project in Hollywood. Sadly, two women that I know who were looking for housing for more than a year, both got into the new complex, even though they're straight and always have been, by lying and claiming they were lesbians - separately claiming, they're not a couple and barely know each other. Neither are my friends now and I have struggled, weekly, on whether or not I should notify the Center. In the end, I've said nothing, but I'm angry about the whole thing every time I think of it. We also have this problem in our city and county jails. The special gay and lesbian lock-ups exist to protect the gay inmates from violence in the general population. Last year an informal, anonymous survey revealed that at any one time more than half of the inmates in the segregated facilities lied about be gay because the special unit was the safest place to be while in the hands of law enforcement in greater Los Angeles. The challenges in keeping gays and lesbians safe in jail or as seniors go beyond making the facilities available. Unfortunately, places like the Center are failing in making sure that the limited number of slots available are being given to actual gays and lesbians. It's very frustrating. I guess, when it comes right down to it, I'm not totally sure I wouldn't claim I was straight if I was totally desperate. David Affordable, quality, safe senior housing is incredibly difficult to find in Los Angeles. The Gay and Lesbian Center just opened a gay senior housing project in Hollywood. Sadly, two women that I know who were looking for housing for more than a year, both got into the new complex, even though they’re straight and always have been, by lying and claiming they were lesbians – separately claiming, they’re not a couple and barely know each other.

Neither are my friends now and I have struggled, weekly, on whether or not I should notify the Center. In the end, I’ve said nothing, but I’m angry about the whole thing every time I think of it.

We also have this problem in our city and county jails. The special gay and lesbian lock-ups exist to protect the gay inmates from violence in the general population. Last year an informal, anonymous survey revealed that at any one time more than half of the inmates in the segregated facilities lied about be gay because the special unit was the safest place to be while in the hands of law enforcement in greater Los Angeles.

The challenges in keeping gays and lesbians safe in jail or as seniors go beyond making the facilities available. Unfortunately, places like the Center are failing in making sure that the limited number of slots available are being given to actual gays and lesbians.

It’s very frustrating. I guess, when it comes right down to it, I’m not totally sure I wouldn’t claim I was straight if I was totally desperate.

David

]]> By: cowboy http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2007/10/08/865/comment-page-1#comment-3346 cowboy Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:20:01 +0000 http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2007/10/08/865#comment-3346 A related article in the New York Times: Aging and Gay, and Facing Prejudice in Twilight http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/09/us/09aged.html A related article in the New York Times:

Aging and Gay, and Facing Prejudice in Twilight

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/09/us/09aged.html

]]> By: a. mcewen http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2007/10/08/865/comment-page-1#comment-3333 a. mcewen Tue, 09 Oct 2007 00:43:37 +0000 http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2007/10/08/865#comment-3333 i have to say though that i love the idea that there is a focus on the lgbt elderly. the more we talk about different facets of our community, the less we can be boxed in by lies. i have to say though that i love the idea that there is a focus on the lgbt elderly. the more we talk about different facets of our community, the less we can be boxed in by lies.

]]> By: allan http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2007/10/08/865/comment-page-1#comment-3328 allan Mon, 08 Oct 2007 22:03:14 +0000 http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2007/10/08/865#comment-3328 the lecture on lesbian... now THAT is funny. the lecture on lesbian… now THAT is funny.

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