GROUP 1 SYCIP

Fading Rainbow: Phenomenological Study About the Life Experiences of Aged

LGBTQ+ Members

CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

Aged LGBTQ members are diverted with regard to many characteristics, such

as gender, race, socioeconomic status, religiosity and disability status. However, just

like LGBTQ people, they share the same experience of exposure to their past and

present stigma, prejudice and unequal treatment related to their sexual orientation or

gender identity. Even when they’re already old, they still suffer from the same

treatment by the society just like when they are young. They still face the same

challenge in achieving a healthy and happy life even if they are old.

Studies of LGBT older individuals are typically not large enough to provide

data into the influence of this great diversity on the lives of LGBT people. Thus, we

still lack of understanding about what are their lives and conditions. Especially in the

Philippines, because of lack of studies, we don’t have enough programs or projects in

giving supports to the older LGBTQ members. They need some attention top in order

to achieve a happy old life.

In this study, they will gather information about how these people live and the

challenges they face. It made people aware about how these people live and the

challenges they face. It opens the society’s eyes in a wider perspective especially with

these people who often get maltreated and encounters unequal rights every day.

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Statement of the Problem

This study aims to determine the life experiences of aged LGBT members in

the community. Specifically, it attempted to answer the following:

1. How are they usually treated by other people?

2. What challenges do they encounter in their daily life?

3. How do they cope up with their daily challenges in life?

4. What is the demographic profile of the participant in terms of:

a. Age

b. Religion

c. Educational Attainment

d. Family Status (e.g., living with both parents, living with a single parent,

separated family, living with family relatives or grandparents, etc.)

e. Source of income/job

Significance of the Study

Community

This study will bring positive contribution to the community as they

gather information about the life experiences of aged LGBT people. It made

people aware about how these people live and the challenges they face. It

opens the society’s eyes in a wider perspective especially with these people

who often get maltreated and encounters unequal rights every day.

Participants
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This study will help these aged LGBTQ members in our society to

have equal rights and not to be feared out to be open in our society regarding

their gender.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

This study will be conducted to investigate the life experiences of aged LGBT

people in the society. This will look into the experience of LGBTQ+ members that

aged 50; the effect of their identity as they come of age in the aspect of emotional,

physical, social, spiritual and mental.

The participants of the study are aged LGBTQ+ members who lived along the

premises of San Clemente, Tarlac and Mangatarem, Pangasinan.

Definition of Terms

Aged- having lived or existed long; of advanced age; old:

Disparity- a lack of equality and similarity, esp. in a way that is not fair;

Disparity usually refers to a difference that is unfair

Inequality- Inequality is the result of differences in individual endowments,

and the solution to inequality is to adopt economic policies that

can enrich individuals’ endowments.

LGBTQ- LGBTQ is an acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender

and queer or questioning. These terms are used to describe a

person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

Prejudice- an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or

without knowledge, thought, or reason; Any preconceived

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opinion or feeling, either favorable or unfavorable;

Unreasonable feelings, opinions, or attitudes, especially of a

hostile nature, regarding an ethnic, racial, social, or religious

group.

Stigma- mark of shame or discredit: STAIN; a strong lack of respect for

a person or a group of people or a bad opinion of them because

they have done something society does not approve of:

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CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter exhibits series of related literatures and studies both from local and

foreign sources that were used to guide the researchers in conducting the research.

The literatures and studies used were taken from relevant and legitimate materials so

that it can give necessary background, insight and so that it can supplement the ideas

in the present investigation.

RELATED LITERATURE (FOREIGN)

Bostwick (2014) states that there is a strong evidence that the community belonging

for depressive symptomatology and perceived stress causes LGBT older adults at higher risk

of disability, poor mental health, smoking, and excessive drinking than did heterosexuals.

Masculine gay men, for their part, are more anxious, have more risky sex and use drugs and

tobacco with greater frequency (Hobbes, 2017). Alcoholism is a very serious problem in the

LGBTQ community (Murray 2019). Up to 25 percent of the general LGBTQ community has

moderate alcohol dependency, compared to 5 to 10 percent of the general population. Sexual

minorities had a higher prevalence of tobacco product use than their heterosexual/straight

counterparts (Dai, 2017). Because of this, most of gays are at risk of many serious diseases.

According to Rosenfeld (2018), there are hundreds of gay people diagnosed with

HIV. Gays and men bisexual are had the largest cases of HIV/ AIDS. According to Centers

for Disease Control and Prevention (2018), gay and bisexual men are the population most

affected by HIV that is accounted for 69% of all HIV diagnoses in the United States and 86%

of diagnoses among males.

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They were more likely to live alone, experience the death of a same-sex partner, have

lower levels of social support, and have greater experiences of victimization. Feminine gay

men are at higher risk of suicide, loneliness and mental illness (Hobbes, 2017). LGBT

adolescents are at greater risk for mental health problems than their heterosexual peers, in part

due to victimization. Social support, particularly from families, has been identified as an

important promotive factor (McConnell, Birkett and Mustanski, 2016). According to The

Irish Hospice Foundation (2012), we can deal the loneliness following the loss of your

companion, it’s important to get over and learn to live without them.

According to Home and Family, many lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT)

older has a fear of accessing health services because they are afraid to be neglected and face

discrimination or harassment in any long-term care facilities. Also, transgender older adults

experienced financial barriers to receiving health services

RELATED LITERATURE (LOCAL)

To understand the LGBT community in the Philippines, understanding

concepts of gender is necessary. LGBT in the Philippines is particularly used for gays

and lesbians. Both centers on 'inversion'. Gays are males taking on female

mannerisms or being feminine. Lesbian, meanwhile, is a female being masculine. Tan

stated that, generally, “one could not be “bakla” or gay, if he was not effeminate, and

one could not be “tomboy” or lesbian, unless she was masculine.” This way, a bakla

was a “girl”, and as “girls”, they will not have sex with other bakla (also considered

as “girls”), as this was considered “tantamount to lesbianism”. The bisexual

community remains under-represented in the LGBT community in the Philippines,

not only because of the stigmatization of bisexuals by both heterosexual and

homosexual communities, but also because of the conflicting perceptions among

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Filipinos on who is bisexual. Transgender is not widely used as a category in the

Philippines, and is questioned even by those who seem to fit the definition.

There have been a few studies about aging LGBT persons on the Philippines.

Older persons usually stay with their children and continue to support them but it's

different to older Filipinos with sexual minorities because their actual or perceived

sexual orientation or gender expression may have determined whether or not they

were accepted by their families. In many cases, hetero-exclusive norms embedded in

traditional Filipino family values hinder the acceptance sexual minorities receive from

their families (Jordan and Lim 2013). They end up lonely and isolated. There have

also been conflicting studies on whether or not sexual minority elderly receive the

same quality of support from members of their social network (Brotman et. al., 2006).

Other works in forms of feature articles (Pascual, 2014) and short films (Gaarmand,

2010) show homelessness and financial instability as their plight which resulted from

the lack of support or rejection by their families of origin. Research on lesbian, gay,

and bisexual (LGB) older adults show that seniors who have been “out of the closet”

for a longer period of time experienced more victimization than those who were

secretive of their sexual orientations for a longer period of time (Kimmel, 2014).

Some scholars believe that the loneliness experienced by gay and lesbian elderly may

have been caused by the same factors that other hetero norm-conforming elderly

experience such as a death of a family member (Motilla, 2004).

RELATED STUDIES (FOREIGN)

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Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people are a health disparate

population as identified in Healthy People 2020. Yet, there has been limited attention

to how LGBT older adults maintain successful aging despite the adversity they face.

Reflective of the increasing diversity of older adults, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and

transgender older adults are a growing population (Fredriksen-Goldsen, Kim, Barkan,

Muraco, & Hoy-Ellis, 2013; Fredriksen-Goldsen & Kim, 2014).

Aging and health issues facing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender baby

boomers have often been ignored by services, policies and research. However, these

seniors face higher rates of disability, physical and mental distress and a lack of

access to services, according to a new study on aging and health in these communities

(Seegert,2018).

Based on the data given by APA's Office on Sexual Orientation and Gender

Diversity (2017) more than 39 million people in the U.S. are age 65 years or older

including 2.4 million people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender

(LGBT). As the baby boomer generation ages, the older adult population will increase

from 12.8 percent to an estimated 19 percent in 2030.

Despite of it being open to public, there are still disparities between the

treatment to straight aged adults and LGBT older adults. Not only they’ve

experienced discriminations but also emotional and challenges due to their difference.

Their identity is one of their main problem in facing the society but their age also adds

to the burden.

As reported in Soon Kyu Choi and Ilan H. Meyer’s study disparities in life

experiences between transgender and non-transgender older adults. Transgender older

adults experience high rates of discrimination in the work place and in healthcare
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settings, and experience high rates of lifetime verbal and physical abuse (Grant et

al.,2011; Fredriksen-Goldsen et al., 2013b). In terms of health, transgender older

adults have poor mental and physical health outcomes compared to non-transgender

older adults (Fredriksen-Goldsen et al., 2011; Fredriksen-Goldsen et al., 2013b).

When compared to their LGB cisgender counterparts, transgender older adults report

higher rates of internalized stigma (Fredriksen-Goldsen et.al, 2013b), which is

associated with psychological distress, depression, and poorer health (Testa et al.,

2015; Bockting et al., 2013; Fredriksen-Goldsen et al., 2013b).

Addition to the statements above, the study of Fredriksen-Goldsen et al (2014)

cited that the lower levels of social network size and community connectedness are of

particular concern for the old–old LGBT age group. LGBT individuals in the old–old

age group rely more heavily on peer-based support than older adults of comparable

age in the general population, which may dwindle with aging due to death, relocation,

and impairment of peers. This may place the LGBT old–old, the long-term survivors,

at serious risk of social isolation, which in the general population has been linked to

poor mental and physical health, higher levels of cognitive impairment, and premature

disease and death (Ailshire & Crimmins, 2011). Although it is common for social

network size to diminish over time in old age, Johnson and Mutchler (2013) remind

us that positive and successful aging can be enhanced through modifiable factors such

as social participation, as suggested in the model of successful aging by Rowe and

Kahn (1998).

As LGBTQIA+ community expands along with the society, people hopes that

someday equality between gender identities will be recognized and rights for them

will also be considered. Aged LGBTQIA+ members faced more difficult challenges

compared to teens or mid-aged members. All in all, their main concern weren’t just all
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about their gender identity but also their age. Nonetheless, of these hypes going on,

people must also consider different ethics and religions which were also involved in

our community.

RELATD STUDIES (LOCAL)

The Philippines has earned its ranking as one of few gay-friendly countries in

the world (Tubeza, 2013). A global survey said that Philippines say that

homosexuality should be accepted in society (Pew Research Center, 2013). Despite its

religiosity, the Philippines is one of the countries in the world where the level of

public “acceptance” of homosexuals is high, according to the results of the survey

(Statista, 2016). According to the survey, 78% of those aged 18-29 who interviewed

said that gays should be accepted. 71 percent for those aged 30-49, and 68 percent for

those 50 years old and above. A survey published by Statista Research Department in

2016, over 60 percent of the respondents do personally know are LGBT. However,

only 25% of the respondents says that they support the legalization of same sex

marriage. The Social Weather Survey also had the same result, 61% of their

respondents says that they are disagree of legalization of same-sex marriage.

Based on the result of the study of Ocampo (2016), LGBTQ members agreed that

going through the phase of being confused to bisexual was hard for them at first and

yet as they accept themselves and from the people around them, they became

comfortable of whom they are. But discrimination cannot be prevented in their life as

a bisexual such as insults or getting teased. They had experienced discrimination

everywhere.
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In School, some teachers appeared to impose their own personal values and

used institutional rules to suppress people’s gender expression, including giving

students lower grades than they deserved (IGLHRC, 2013). Many of the LGBT

women said they felt pressured to alter their preferred gender expression while at

school and while wearing school uniforms. They reported that some officials

explicitly sought to change their behavior. However, according to the UNDP, USAID

(2014), the Department of Education in 2012 issued an order to protect children from

violence, abuse and exploitation regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity

which protects their rights as students.

Some also said that even in their workplace, they have experienced

discrimination. Despite being educated and have better qualification, they are often

denied because of their gender (IGLHRC 2013). The UNDP, USAID (2014) also said

that the employers sometimes take advantage of LGBT employees. Sexual harassment

of LGBT employees was reported.

In addition bu Ocampo (2016), the LGBT people became more open minded

and got more friends same as their sexuality for being a bisexual. However, Ocampo

added that being different from others did not stop them from showing their true

selves for there are people who would still accept and love them for who they are.

LGBTQ also experienced violence inside and outside of their family. According to

International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (2013), they have

experienced different violence such as physical, Verbal and Emotional Violence,

Violence in the Name of Religion, Violence in Schools and Sexual violence. They’ve

experienced this kind of violence are largely came from their own family members,
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significant others or ex-partners, co-workers, and strangers (International Gay and

Lesbian Human Rights Commission 2013).

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

APA. (2019). Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity.

Dai, H. (2017). Tobacco Product Use Among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Adolescents.
PEDIATRICS.

Elizabeth A. McConnell, M.A. Michelle Birkett, Ph.D., Brian Mustanski, Ph.D. (2016). Families
Matter: Social Support and Mental Health Trajectories Among Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, and Transgender Youth.

Hobbes, M. (2017). TOGETHER: The Epidemic of. Highline.

Homeless, N. C. (n.d.). https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/library/reports/surveillance/cdc-hiv-

surveillance-supplemental-report-vol-24-1.pdf. BUILDING A MOVEMENT TO END
HOMELESSNESS.

IHF. (2012). Coping with the death of your same-sex partner.

International, O. (n.d.). Kwentong Bebot: Lived Experiences of Lesbians, Bisexual and

Transgender Women in the Philippines. VIOLENCE: Through the Lens of Lesbians,
Bisexual Women and Transgender People in Asia.

Karen I. Fredriksen-Goldsen, Hyun-Jun Kim, Chengshi Shiu, Jayn Goldsen, Charles A. Emlet.
(2014). Successful Aging Among LGBT Older Adults: Physical and Mental Health-
Related Quality of Life by Age Group. Gerontologist.

Murray, K. (2019). LGBTQ Alcoholism. Alcoholism Resources .

PRC. (2013). The Global Divide on Homosexuality. Global Attitudes & Trends.

Prevention, C. f. (2019). Estimated HIV Incidence and Prevalence in the United States 2010–
2016. HIV Surveillance Supplemental Report.

Statistica. (2016). Familiarity with the LGBT community in the Philippines as of 2016.
Demographics.

TOGETHER. (n.d.).

Tubeza, P. C. (2013, june 08). PH ranks among most gay-friendly in the world. Philippine
Daily Inquirer.

UCLA. (2016). LGBT Aging. Health & HIV/AIDS.

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