Stu Maddux

My despair yesterday was lifted by a very good screening and conversation at the Riverside County Office on Aging and then the great news about the president and gay marriage. The warmth I felt in the room from the public and Advisory Council on Aging was recharging- and I told them that. I was told that there would be a work session around issues in the film that I would participate in. But the chairwoman asked each person to go around the room and give their thoughts of Gen Silent. While personal stories about being touched by an LGBT person in their lives came from each person, someone broke in with the news that President Obama had just announced his support for gay marriage.
There were a few nods of silence in the room and then we continued.  It was something that at once was affirming but also I think I was taken aback by the timing. Kind of a “uh-oh. Did he just make a mistake that is going to cost him the election? Because that would be far worse.”  I think most of us LGBTQIA folks were happy with him “evolving” until after the election in order to ensure it would not become a political liability.

But I feel saved. Like a lifesaver has been thrown to me amidst this rising tide of resentment and prejudice all around me.  I feel like he may be the best  and most astute President of my lifetime. Breathtaking yet..

I feel like Republicans, conservatives, bigots and bullies are going to make my life center stage between now and November. And that feels stressful. And Republican gay groups are calling him callous because he did it a day after the Amendment One vote in NC?!  Just the opposite. It gave me hope and resolve after such a horrendous affront. It seems so sensitive to do it now.

Saying that its a states right issue will not work though. He probably knows that. But what began as a glum, fearful day ended so hopeful and affirming. Great news amidst a wonderful conversation and screening.

Today I drive into LA to check on the Knox house and then lunch with Brooke before flying to Phoenix for a few days with the parents.

     I love this picture. I really do. I can feel their hearts pounding as they walk to work in “New York, 1947″ as some of the ads are captioned.

      But as part of Ray-Ban’s “Never Hide” campaign this fictional pic gives the idea that gay people had the option of being activists or being authentic at the risk of only name calling and some ogling.

After research on three LGBT aging and history documentaries, I just had to stop what I was doing and write a little reminder to myself about what would have really happened moments after this picture: society would have swatted them down where they stood.

The cop on the corner would have arrested these “perverts” for indecent behavior.

They both would have lost their jobs as soon as they reached the office- and not for being late.

And for their single moment of “never hiding”, their families would have the right to institutionalize them in order to be “cured”.

This is not a worse-case scenario. This is how you would have expected your day to end for “never hiding”.

Now that LGBT history is part of national advertising, let’s make sure it doesn’t erase the memory of how hard some of us fought simply to gather behind closed doors.  Holding hands in public with only the risk of name calling and staring was decades away. Come to think of it, we’re still working on that one in most places.

We were thrilled recently when we received a follow-up report about the screening of Gen Silent in the UK at Shropshire Rainbow Film Festival — Not just because the reviews were great (although, of course that’s wonderful) but because we love to hear how Gen Silent screenings go: who attends, what they think, and what impact the film has. It’s especially heartening to know that the film is being be seen by people who work with older adults and that it’s making a difference. For example one of the most most exciting things about this report is the number of people who indicated, after seeing Gen Silent, that they would like to get more involved with initiatives around LGBT/health care issues. The power of film to change LGBT aging is both humbling and encouraging.

LGBT History Month 2012
Age UK/Rainbow Film Festival
“Gen Silent,” The Hibe, Shrewsbury
February 27, 2012, 2:30 pm Report 

‘Brilliant. Really made me think. Heartbreaking, heart-warming’

Audience

We had a full house, about 100 in the audience. Participants came from:

• Social Care Agencies (13)
  Inc.: Age UK, Taking Part, Shrewsbury Home Care, Positive Options, Natural Health Centre, Unison, Leonard Cheshire, Police, Shropshire Council, T & W Council, PCT, CEDAR and Shropshire Partners in Care
• Care Homes (4)
  Deansfield, The Wheatlands, Netherwood and Morris care.
•  Colleges (2)
  Ludlow, and Walford & N. Shropshire
• Individuals ( 15 +)

The Film: “Gen Silent” (63 minutes, USA, Stu Maddux, USA)

There was a 100% positive response to the film on the feedback forms. Comments included:

“The film was excellent, thought provoking, things will need to change”
– students from Ludlow College

“It broadened my perspective”, “Interesting, learned a lot as I did not know much before. I still feel much can be done as gays are not as open in small communities, compared to e.g. Manchester”

“informative, I was able to gain a good understanding. And what needs to be done and what improvements need to be made in the health and social care industry”
– students from Walford & North Shropshire College

“An eye opener”. “Excellent. Heart breaking, as well as uplifting”. “Should be looked at more widely” “ Very moving film and interesting debates. Highlighted the need of LGBT to work closely with the local [NHS/PCT] Trust”.” A superb Q and A session”. “Beautifully made film”. “ Powerful, relevant and challenging”
– individuals from agencies

Q & A Panel

This was chaired by Heather Osborne (CEO, Age UK Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin).

On the Panel were:

• Debbie Price (Chair, Shropshire partners in Care),
• Stephen Chandler (Head of Adult Care & Support, Shropshire Council),
• Karen Kalinowski (Head of Care & Support, Telford & Wrekin Council) and
• Anthony Smith (Opening Doors – Age UK, LGBT Project)

Issues Raised

Need for training – for care staff and managers.
Need for links – with LGBT organisations e.g. Border Women and the Older Men’s Group.
Good Practice – the W Mercia Police have used a good training model which could be adapted.
Limited resources – some low cost easy ways forward e.g. use by agencies and at care homes of posters for LGBT events or organisations, rainbow stickers at the entrance/reception desk, amend forms to include “civil partner”/ “living with someone else?” as well as “married/”single”. RSH still using out of date admission forms in this respect. Include LGBT references in all information/images e.g. brochures, leaflets, policy documents. Stretched resources a problem for everyone, more so for LGBT service users. How can a service be “person centred” but have low resources?
Invisibility – how do you know a person is LGB or T? How to put people at ease and enable the person, be they staff, resident, client, patient or service user, to “come out” if they choose to? An “uphill struggle”. No reference to LGBT on initial or follow up care assessment forms.
Homophobia – How to challenge and deal with it whoever it comes from e.g. another resident.
History – the need to understand lives lived pre gay liberation.
Separate provision – LGBT homes and/or communities? LGBT people pooling resources and engaging LGBT aware providers? Most LGBT people have lived their lives integrated within the wider community and want supported integrated provision and care. Need for both, separate and integrated? (e.g. Jewish homes and integrated services for Jewish people)
Inspection/Monitoring – CQC “has no teeth”? Need to ensure LGBT issues are raised and responded to. Measures in place to do this? There are Regulations already, but are they enforced?
Inclusion – LGBT people are usually excluded by default (if not by design).Include LGBT people in designing training packages.

Going Forward

28 people, who attended, indicated on the feedback forms that they would like to get involved in further initiatives around LGBT/health care issues in association with Age UK Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin. Their contact details will be forwarded on to Age UK.

As a filmmaker, there are a dozen parts of the my message that I am conveying to you without saying a word. I am using sound, speed and light to tell you things.  And with color, the slightest difference can change your perspective.

For example, we are used to seeing old photos in black &white or in faded color.  It makes the people in them seem different than us today.

But take a look at the following  photographs. Do you find a stronger connection to these people merely because the color in their faces is as fresh as if it was captured yesterday?

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