Accelerated Social Aging in the Lesbian and Gay Community: Psychosocial Factors Influencing Aging Perceptions in Lesbian and Gay Adults

Objectives Lesbian and gay individuals face unique experiences and expectations associated with growing older. Methods In a pilot study of perceptions of aging in lesbian and gay adults, 45 gay and 46 lesbian adult participants (ages = 55–87, 70% white) self-reported their health, perceptions of aging, community engagement, identity congruence, and stressful experiences. Results Accounting for age, health, subjective socioeconomic status, and race/ethnicity, lesbian women reported better self-perceptions of aging than gay men ( b = 0.50, SE = 0.16, p < .01). Greater outness ( b = 0.04, SE = 0.01, p = .01) and fewer daily stressful experiences ( b = −0.14, SE = 0.05, p < .01) were associated with better self-perceptions of aging. In contrast, LGBTQ+ community engagement ( b = −0.11, SE = 0.12, p = .38) showed no relation. Discussion The study provides a preliminary model of how lesbian and gay adults view their aging and identifies psychosocial risk and resilience factors.