AARP Backs Federal Efforts to Better Lives of LGBT Older Americans

AARP is supporting congressional and legal efforts to improve the lives of older LGBT individuals, reports the Sierra Sun Times . AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond has written members of the U.S. Senate to endorse the Equality Act, which provides equal treatment under the law for LGBT individuals by barring discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. She said employment, housing, public accommodations, public education, federal funding, credit, and the jury system would be affected by the bill. A 2018 AARP poll found 34 percent of LGBT older adults were concerned that they would have to conceal their identity in order to access suitable housing as they aged. Over 75 percent voiced concern about having adequate family or social supports to rely on as they got older. Meanwhile, AARP and AARP Foundation have joined other groups in filing an amicus curiae brief in the Supreme Court to support lawsuits recognizing federal employment civil rights protections for LGBT employees. The high court will consider three related LGBT employment cases in the fall session.