by Penny Gardner
It has been a while since my thoughts have been seen on these pages and I have something to say.
As a commissioner on the Michigan Commission on Services to the Aging, I get to review the Annual Implementation Plans of all the Area Agency on Aging for approval by the commission. Throughout the two years of plans I have seen, only one – Kalamazoo – has had the words sexual orientation, lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender in their plan.
In questioning the other presenters about the programs they offer in LGBT cultural competency training, evidence of inclusiveness of sexual orientation and gender identity/expression, I am told that it is at the public hearings that the need is most often identified. Interestingly, even as a commissioner, I am not informed of the schedule of these public hearings. So last summer as we reviewed all the Annual Implementation Plans, I asked to be informed of when the public hearings were being held, and suggested that public service announcements with information about the hearings be expanded to representative media of our communities.
Just this week I received the first installment of the dates of these public hearings. Now, as you can imagine, I did say that I would "pack the house" with members of our communities at the hearings. I am subject to hyperbole, or overstatement as the case may be. Help me out here.
Here is the deal: Many of us old lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender men and women, as we seek social services, health care, long-term care and rehabilitation services, have a priority of being assured of our safety; being safe and being who we are; knowing that those to whom we are entrusting our care appreciate our family configurations, our gender expression and welcome us.
In facilities that serve the old, they don't use old anymore, but Old Lesbians Organizing for Chance eschew the euphemisms of senior citizen, elders, older Americans, aging and reclaim positive use of the word 'old.' If we don't use old, how will people know what is old? And OLOC limits claiming being old as only to those 60 years and older!
So here is the pitch: I promise to let you know, as I am informed, the dates, times and locations of scheduled public hearings on Annual Implementation Plans of the AAA.
I ask that you please attend these hearings and testify, and take others with you to do the same. Don't be put off by the testify concept – it is really just speaking. I suggest we ask for a cultural competency plan on sexual orientation, sexual identity and gender expression. Cultural competency trainings are common based on ethnic, religious, race and national identities. It is time that who we are is also recognized.
The first public hearing is being held by AAA 1C at Wayne Library at 2-4 p.m. April 12. Contact Maggie Watson, [email protected], or visit http://www.aaa1c.org to learn more.
Another will take place in Isabella County at 11 a.m.-1 p.m. April 23 at the Isabella Commission on Aging in Mount Pleasant. Contact Pete Howey at [email protected] for more information.
The third will take place in Saginaw at 12:30-3 p.m. April 29 at the Commission on Aging, Eleanor Frank Center. For more information, contact Pete Howey at [email protected] or visit http://www.region7aaa.org.
I appreciate your attention and hope my promise of "packing the house" comes to fruition. After all, our lives depend upon it.
Others upcoming hearings:
1-2 p.m. May 3
CMU Grand Rapids Center, 1633 East Beltline, Grand Rapids
Sandra Davis, [email protected]
www.aaawm.org.
9:30-11:30 a.m. May 4
Historic Trinity Luthern Church, 1345 Gratiot Ave., Detroit,
Gloria Hicks Long, [email protected]
www.daaa1c.org
10 a.m. May 6
AAA office, 1609 Park Drive, Traverse City
www.aaanm.org
11:15 a.m. June 22
AAA office, 102 N. Main, Brooklyn
Linda Powelke, [email protected]
www.r2aaa.org.
