Older Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Adults: Identities, intersections and institutions

Contents: Introduction. Section I Contextualising: Struggles for identity; Theorising older LGB lives. Section II Situating Older Lesbian, Gay and/or Bisexual Lives: Am I that name? Claiming and contesting identities; Ageing sexualities in and out of place; The ties that bind: social networks, connections and economic resources. Section III Institutionalised and Institutional Identities: Queering care: institutional frameworks and lived experiences; Institutional identities: older LGB people and health and medical services; Policy, practice and making an impact; Conclusion. Appendix; References; Index.

Andrew King is Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Surrey, UK, and co-editor of Sociological Objects: Reconfigurations of Social Theory.

‘King comprehensively rejects the reductionist view that older LGB people can be treated as a singular category. He develops a compelling sociological analysis, grounded in the experiences of real people, that unpicks the complexities and diversity of older LGB people’s lives. The investigation of the constraint and celebration narratives in LGB ageing is a real breakthrough.’ Mark Hughes, Southern Cross University, Australia
‘Andrew King's book engages with theory, history, social research and social policy, as well as everyday experiences, to offer a cutting-edge analysis of the factors to be taken into account to understand older lesbian, gay and bisexual lives. It offers a vital contribution to our understandings of ageing sexualities, their links to other forms of inequality and how we might respond to them. It is a must-read for anyone interested in lesbian, gay and bisexual lives or ageing.’ Brian Heaphy, University of Manchester, UK
‘Older Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Adults fills the urgent gap between ageing and sexuality studies by offering a passionate and engaging sociological study of the complex lives of older lesbian, gay and bisexual adults in Britain. The richness of interviewees’ narratives - difference, diversity and intersectionality - brings the intellectual arguments to life. A powerful sociological analysis of ageing sexuality with significant policy implications.’ Travis S.K. Kong, The University of Hong Kong, China
'A thorough and impressively intersectional account of ageing lesbian, gay and bisexual lives, which resists narratives of arrival in new post-Equalities times, and complexifies 'sexual citizenship'. Historicizing moments of 'becoming', alongside pervasive heteronorms operating both interpersonally and institutionally, it grapples with what intersections matter in changing life courses. Importantly, it highlights the resistant possibilities of, by and for queer ageing lives and considers what other social, policy and practice futures are possible. This book has an impressive interdisciplinary reach.' Yvette Taylor, University of Strathclyde

Drawing on theoretical and empirical insights gained from sexuality studies, social gerontology, and the sociology of later life, this book offers an in-depth understanding of the diverse and complex experiences of older LGB adults, thus providing a serious study of the lives of a significant social group that has until now remained at the margins of mainstream academic study. It, therefore, sets the agenda for a queer informed sociological understanding of later life.