Using real and personal stories to educate Americans about how current inequities affect LGBT older adults provides an opportunity to change the national discussion around LGBT issues generally. The goal should be to illustrate the harms caused by current policies in a meaningful way, and to correct common misperceptions (e.g., the presumed wealth of LGBT people, or the notion that marriage at the state level achieves equality for same-sex couples, despite the total lack of recognition by the federal government). Aging issues are compelling and may help “moveable� audiences and politicians become more sympathetic to LGBT issues in general. Education on these issues also may help heterosexual elders become more accepting of LGBT older adults overall. Therefore, appropriate public, media and political education around the impact of these inequities is very important, both for its own sake, and as a mechanism to drive broader change.
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