Typically a group of people who have the same sexual orientation, race, and ethnicity is called the LGBT group. Historically the world has not been open to the idea of LGBT. However, We don't live in the idealized world. Historically these people have not been accepted and understood as part of the regular spectrum of humanity. Instead, they have been stereotyped as deviants. However, understanding LGBTs could be challenging, especially for senior citizens.
Unique, Challenges
LGBT individuals share the same health threats as others in society. Due to social embarrassment, they also face a profound and poorly understood set of more health hazards. As the humiliation may differ across sexual and gender minorities, stigmatization pinches all these groups' lives in significant ways, affecting their physical and mental health. LGBT individuals are consistently invisible to health care providers and researchers. This invisibility often aggravates the deteriorating effects of stigma. Despite the shared experience of humiliation among sexual and gender minority groups, LGBT people have not been submissive victims of intolerance and prejudice.
Individuals' age influences their needs and experiences. Bisexual teens fighting out in a non-supportive environment have several health issues compared to adult gays and lack medical and social support. Lesbians cannot find appropriate grief counseling services. An adult gay finding his true identity in his 50's is more stable than the teenagers as they struggle to see who they are, which hampers their developmental process. Some individuals experience changes in their sexual attractions and relationships throughout their life.
Spreading Awareness through Talk-Shows, Documentaries on Open Forums
The LGBTs are an invisible population given the social, religious stigmas and conditioning associated with sexuality and concealment, where most go into their silos and conceal their true identities. This is high time to bring them to the forefront. They should be discussed on open forums on talk-shows, reality shows, etc., to spread awareness about them. People need to understand their side of the story. An original series based on LGBTs' lives is catching up well on Netflix. It is a humble attempt to establish these people in the mainstream, for growing acceptance and, most importantly, to feel good about themselves.
Collaborating with Creative Queer Writers
Bringing together creative queer writers and collaborating with them to develop high-quality content for sensitizing society to increase LGBTs' acceptance can work superbly. For instance, videos, fact-sheets, and relevant posters are all practical tools. Taking this content to the masses through town halls in public spaces, public libraries, auditoriums, and uploading the videos or live streaming on social media can be an excellent strategy for changing the senior's mindset for such people.