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When we speak about seniors, we rarely mention issues related to sexuality. There is a strong assumption in our society that sexuality “stops” after a certain age. Reality, however , can be quite different. 

Community groups or governmental institutions sometimes tackle issues related to senior LGBTQ+ communities—to discuss their invisibility and the discrimination they face. 

In popular media and for the general public, senior LGBTQ+ people are simply forgotten, just like  the existence of their sexuality. 

From the perspective of young people, an elderly person is perceived through their youth—rather than young people considering their future selves. This sustains the invisibility of a senior’s present life . 

LGBTQ+ elders have an existence that goes beyond their past, and they have a lot to say about their present.

Their realities are unfortunately obscured or rendered invisible by the double shroud of ageist and homophobic discrimination.

In two parts, this project aims to fight against this obscuring. 

Part 1:
Addressing the general public, we aim to normalize the sexual and relational realities of senior LGBTQ+ people, by largely publicizing positive messages about these topics in a major awareness-raising campaign. This campaign will help create an approachable and healthy social environment for LGBTQ+ seniors to freely live their intimacy and sexuality without shame. 

Part 2: 
More focused and directly addressing seniors, this section aims to provide tools to break away from ageist, homophobic, transphobic, and bi-phobic preconceptions, help them develop their sexual agency and break free from isolation so that they can normalize their sexual and relational experiences. 

Project Funding
This project was made possible thanks to the financial contribution of the Bureau de lutte contre l’homophobie et la transphobie of the Ministry of Justice of Quebec, and to the volunteer work of the members of Les 3 sex*. 

✧ Gagné, M.-W. (2024, February 14^th). La sexualité chez les aînés (n^o7, saison 2) [Podcast]. In Prendre un coup de vieux. Association québécoise des retraité(e) des secteurs public et parapublic. [➦]
✧ Gilbert, M. (2024, January 17^th). La sexualité des aînés et les questions sur les ITS [entrevue radiophonique]. In Matin sans frontières. Radio-Canada. [➦]
✧ Gilbert, M. (2023, April 4^th). Lever les tabous sur la sexualité des aînés [entrevue radiophonique]. In Le 15-18. Radio-Canada Ohdio. [➦]
✧ Lemire, L.-A. (2022, October 27^th). Pas d’âge pour être sexy. TVA Nouvelles. [➦]
✧ Gilbert, M. (2022, October 26^th). Martha Stewart : «On a cette idée que la sexualité est un peu synonyme de jeunesse», déplore la sexologue Mariane Gilbert [entrevue radiophonique]. In Richard Martineau. Qub Radio. [➦] 
✧ Dancause, F. (2022, October 25^th). Martha Stewart, nouvelle icône sexuelle des réseaux sociaux. La Presse. [➦] 
✧ Belmir, M. (2022, September 21^st). Mieux émanciper la vie sexuelle des aînées. Gazette des femmes. [➦] 
✧ La Presse canadienne. (2021, March 3^rd). Amour et sexualité en CHSLD : la ministre Blais se penche sur la question. Radio-Canada. [➦]
✧ Galipeau, S. (2019, November 20^th). Le sexe n’a pas d’âge. La Presse. [➦]
✧ Masbourian, P. (2019, November 19^th). Les personnes âgées et la sexualité : Entrevue avec Marion Bertrand-Huot [entrevue radiophonique]. In D. Depatie (réalisation), Tout un matin. Radio-Canada Première Montréal. [➦]
✧ Boréale 138. (2019, November 18^th). Sexualités des aîné.es. [entrevue radiophonique]. In Boréale 138. Radio-Canada Première Côte Nord. [➦]
✧ Drainville, B. (animation). (2019, November 18^th). Sexualité chez les aînés: une nouvelle campagne pour lutter contre les tabous [entrevue radiophonique]. In Drainville PM. 98.5 Montréal [➦]
✧ Pettersen, G. (animatrice). (2019, November 18^th). La vie sexuelle des vieux [entrevue radiophonique]. In Les Effrontées. Qub Radio [➦]
✧ Boutros, M. (2019, November 19^th). Le sexe chez les aînés, un tabou qui perdure. Le Devoir [➦]

To access resources for elderlies, click here (French only).

To access resources for "intervenant.e.s" click here (French only).