One of the things that really scares me is getting old – not because I’m scared of ageing, but because unless I die first I’ll eventually need to enter the care system. The care system in the UK is horrific for most, and there are extra terrors for LGBTQ+ people – so much so that many UK care homes believe they have no LGBTQ+ residents, as those residents have chosen not to reveal their sexuality or gender history for fear of discrimination or worse.
Writing in Yorkshire Bylines, Nell Stockton explains the additional fears caused by the anti-trans Supreme Court verdict and subsequent EHRC misinformation.
The short version: it’s an absolute shitshow that could do serious damage to older trans people’s lives, their health and their safety.
All of us will hopefully get to live to a ripe old age. Trans older adults deserve to enjoy their later years as much as anyone, without fear of being outed and shunned, and we should not be forced into becoming recluses.