Guðmundur Ingi Guðbrandsson, félags- og vinnumarkaðsráðherra og samstarfsráðherra Norðurlanda:

Expert meeting – Living conditions and quality of life for older LGBTI people 

Dear guests,

The status and rights of LGBTQI+ people have changed radically in the last decades not least due to the constant effort of those who now are older LGBTQI+ persons in our societies.

Courageous pioneers in the fight for the human rights of LGBTQI+ individuals sacrificed greatly to create a more inclusive world for us all. Their resilience, often at the cost of jobs, families, and even relocation, paved the way for subsequent generations. As they now enter their old age we must recognize the challenges faced by these trailblazers, due to their sexual orientation and gender identity.

Despite the ongoing and serious concerns about the backlash when it comes to LGBTQI+ rights in our times, it's crucial to acknowledge that the challenges encountered today, pale in comparison to the historical stigma, isolation, and criminalization of homosexuality that many older LGBTQI+ individuals experienced throughout their lives. This generation, now reaching retirement age, also lived through the trauma of the HIV epidemic, facing discrimination and prejudice that still lingers in our collective memory.

These individuals not only fought for their own rights but also paved the way for younger generations to live their lives free and without fear, or at least with less fear. Their campaign for human rights reminds us that progress is a collective effort that transcends time and generations.

For these individuals, now entering retirement age, safety is paramount. Having lived with a legacy of discrimination, they should be able to feel secure when seeking services in the healthcare and social systems. Therefore it is so important to gather information and share experience and good practices and pave the way forward. 

I do know that gathered here today is a group of experts in this field so I think we can be allowed to have high expectations of the outcome. Your work will be a foundation for further policy-making and hopefully lead to better living conditions for the older generation and thereby for us all. 

I remember being a bit younger and freshly out of the closet, listening to discussion of guys 10 to 15 years older than myself at that time, a discussion about elderly homes exclusive for gays. I remember, I was suspicious of this. Why a specific elderly home? I didn´t really buy it. On the other hand, I did not experience the continuous discrimination my friends had experienced, and what trans people are experiencing right now. 

So, I have never forgotten about this discussion and it has grown up on me that many people simply don´t feel secure in their own environment after going through continuous discrimination if they don´t feel like being able to be who they are. And of course I have experienced uncomfortable environments just because who I am, that is unfortunatly still part of being gay. 

I am not saying that we should necessarily open specific elderly homes for LGBTIQ+ people, I am simply stating the fact that the right care must be provided for and the environment must be friendly. 

Dear all,

It is an honor for me to be here today and I do wholeheartedly celebrate the initiative of the Nordic Council of Ministers on Gender Equality and LGBTQI+ rights in launching this project on living conditions and quality of life of older LGBTQI+ persons. The project, focused on the status and well-being of older LGBTQI+ people in the Nordic Countries, represents a crucial step towards a better world.

As we strive for improvement, your work becomes a vital brick in enhancing the living conditions of LGBTQI+ individuals. The collaboration and information-sharing within the Nordic community, supported by research, will undoubtedly influence policy-making, making your efforts even more valuable.

I wanted also to mention that my ministry, Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, which oversees policy making for older people, granted Samtökin 78, The National Queer Organisation of Iceland, with some funding to further develop its work for older queer people. The organization has been looking for ways to better serve queer older people with the aim of combating the social isolation of the group. 

The grant enables the organization to offer visiting friends for older gay people, modeled after the Red Cross visiting friends. I really hope we can continue that important piece of work.

In conclusion, let us celebrate the commitment of the Nordic Council of Ministers to address the needs of older LGBTQI+ individuals. Your work contributes significantly to our ongoing quest for a more inclusive and equitable world.

Thank you.