There are currently about 2.7 million adults in the United States ages 50 or older who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. She says she’s happy to be back living where some of those happy memories took place, especially in a supportive home dedicated to giving her a safe place to call her own. Nottingham fondly recalls taking her daughter to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade and watching her take her first steps. Of course, there have been plenty of positive moments too. A recurring theme has been moments of feeling like she doesn’t belong and isn’t accepted due to her sexuality. At times she’s also experienced homelessness. In her youth, she experienced physical and sexual abuse.
Like most people, Nottingham has had a life of ups and downs. The concerns that mark their day-to-day lives are frequently overlooked. In a culture that often centers and exalts the realities of youth, little attention is paid to older queer people and the many intersectional identities they inhabit. In addition, greater health disparities exist between white people and People of Color as well as between those who are cisgender and those who are trans, nonbinary, and gender expansive older adults. Many older LGBTQIA+ adults face housing insecurity, abuse, discrimination, and negative mental and physical health outcomes. Unfortunately, Nottingham’s current living situation is not the norm for many older LGBTQIA+ people.