National Honor Our LGBT Elders Day 2021: Date, History and Significance - Everything You Need To Know About The Evolution of The Day

National Honor Our LGBT Elders Day celebrated on May 16th celebrates the trailblazers who have paved the way for the LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender) community. The trailblazers were the ones who laid the groundwork in the fight for LGBT rights so that the next generation can continue to seek important legislation and rights that are easily made available to everyone.

History

The day was conceptualised by the Chief Director of LGBT Health Resource Center of Chase Brexton Health Care in Baltimore's, Nate Sweeney in 2016.

In 2015, according to the Diverse Elders Coalition estimated there were an estimated 3 million LGBT people over the age of 55 throughout the U.S. Sweeney found that it is crucial as a historically oppressed community to pay tribute to the generation, that was significantly responsible for bringing about change and a difference to the LGBT community.

Significance

The idea behind the celebration is to pay respect to the ageing LGBT population and pave a way for the civil dialogue between the older and younger generation, so they can learn from each other. It also stresses the importance of older LGBT members in the community.

Along with it they also contrive to shine the light on the issues still faced by the ageing LGBT members, especially the challenges the older generation face in society when they require care.

The first National Honor Our LGBT Elders Day was celebrated in 2016. The Chief Director at the time in LGBT Health Resource Center of Chase Brexton Health Care in Baltimore's Chief, Sam McClure said, "Respect for those with more experience is an essential element of civility. In intergenerational dialogues, we discover we have differing opinions based on our experiences and perspectives. I love seeing Elders and youth learning from each other."

In celebration of the first-ever National Honor Our LGBT Elder Day, Chase Brexton’s Mt. Vernon Center had a photography exhibit with the theme-  “To Survive on this Shore.”

On this National Honor Our LGBT Elders Day It is imperative to remember the trials and tribulations the older LGBT community has faced and the bigotry and violence they have braved throughout their history.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 14, 2021 08:40 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).