2SLGBTQI communities in Canada have fought hard for rights and recognition. In fact, today’s 2SLGBTQI older adults have lived through a number of significant shifts in their rights and freedoms and are among the first to live openly with diverse sexual orientations and/or gender identities in old age. These lived experiences can affect their interactions with health care and social service providers in a number of different ways, depending on their age and past experiences.
While today’s 2SLGBTQI older adults may enjoy more rights, structures of colonialism and experiences of oppression in medical systems, workplaces and everyday life continue to influence their experience of aging. There are many ways that aging for 2SLGBTQI people could be improved, from increased access to identity-affirming health care to further investment in 2SLGBTQI-led community groups, social spaces and intergenerational initiatives. There is growing awareness of the need to address equity, access, and inclusion issues for 2SLGBTQI older adults, and to celebrate their achievements.
Our hope is for the NRCA to be the resource centre for the most up-to-date and cutting-edge research, resources and conversations about 2SLGBTQI aging issues in Canada. It was created with the aim of reaching older adults and their communities and making research and resources accessible to them. NRCA also has the goal of reaching health care and social service providers – and others involved in supporting and improving systems – to better serve 2SLGBTQI communities.