Last month a group of gay and lesbian seniors who were gathered at Cafe Emmanuel made a video for the "It Gets Better" project, a national response to the recent suicides of LGBT youth. Their message was filled with personal and poignant stories along with some humor and words of encouragement. Then on October 27th our video was posted on PerezHilton.com one of the leading entertainment websites. Celebrity columnist, Perez encouraged his readers to view this touching message that he described as "Profound." That was a game changer. Suddenly our video was all over the internet. It was ranked by one website as one of the "15 Best 'It Gets Better' Videos" along with the videos made by President Obama and Nancy Pelosi. It tied with Rachel Maddow for video of the week on the popular site "AfterEllen.com." It was also featured on mainstream aging websites like "American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging." Before long the video went overseas and was featured on World News and a popular European  website "Actual Europe." The coverage was certainly wonderful but it was what happened as a result of the media blitz that made our seniors feel proud: The message reached tens of thousands of young people. They sent touching comments from all over the country and Europe. The LGBT Aging Project got emails from GSA (gay straight alliance) leaders thanking us after they showed the video to their students. As this newsletter goes to press we have had over 44,000 viewers! We are still waiting for that call from Ellen Degeneres or Oprah to fly our seniors out for their first television appearance!

>>click here to view the video on YouTube. 

>> click here to read a sample of some of the comments from around the country

In honor of National
Family Caregiver's Month we wanted to highlight the role of LGBT Caregivers, and to do so we asked national journalist Gregory Smith of the Bilerico Project to share his personal reflections about caring for his dear friend Sarsfield OSullivan. Here are Greg's own words:

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"I have spent the last three plus years taking care of a man who was very dear to me. He was my parish priest as a kid, my confrere when I was ordained years later, a confidante and quiet supporter when I came out as a gay man and left the priesthood. He became an understanding and loving grandfather when I was diagnosed with HIV and very sick, inviting me to move in with him so we could "take care of each other". That is what we mostly did. I was cared for as much as I was the caregiver.

He died this past April.

His name was Sarsfield OSullivan (no apostrophe, "that's an English invention," he would say). He was Irish to the core. He was staunchly Catholic. He was Butte, Montana through and through. He was- and remains, one of the most memorable and influential people life has ever brought me and I am grateful every day for the experience of sharing his life- right up to the end of it.

The compound word "caregiver" is a bit clumsy for me. I've never really thought of myself as a caregiver so much as a selfish soul who only wanted the best for my friend-even when I was too tired to give it- because it hurt me to see him suffer.

Sometimes I was good at keeping the suffering at bay- sometimes, I'm sure, I prolonged it. My humanity sometimes got in the way of my desire to be loving and kind. But I didn't give up. I got frustrated, but I never quit. It wasn't an option for me. I wasn't always proud of my behavior, however."

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If you are a lesbian, bisexual, gay or transgender person caring for a loved one (or if you care caring for a LGBT friend or family member) and you live in the Greater Boston Area, please consider joining our LGBT Caregiver Support Group. Call Joanne Peskowitz, LICSW (617) 271-4182 for more information.

This Month the LGBT Aging Project will sponsor the first of four Healthy Aging workshops supported by a grant from Tufts Health Plan Foundation. The first workshop is "Healthy Eating for LGBT Seniors." This is a free six week workshop for people who want to feel and look better by making small changes to the foods they eat and the exercise they do. In addition to important coursework on building your individual food plans and goal setting the workshop also includes a cooking class where we will prepare and eat a healthy meal together. The course also includes two outings to a local supermarket and to a restaurant for a meal. These two 'field trips' prepare participants to make healthy choices when shopping and eating out.

Healthy Eating for LGBT Seniors

6 Week Course

Thursdays from 10:30am to 12pm

Emmanuel Church, 15 Newbury Street Boston

Facilitators: Bob Linscott and Rebekah Seaman

Space is limited to 10 participants

For more information or to register call (617) 477-6695

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This is a great way to meet new people, build community

and learn to make healthy meals at the same time!

Throughout November, PBS will broadcast  20 minutes of Gen Silent on its nationally syndicated program, In The Life.  The episode begins streaming on their website Nov.1st. The episode focuses on film subject KrysAnne Hembrough, the transgender woman facing a terminal illness alone and all the care that so many people provided for her.

Here's what we know about airtimes in Massachusetts: WGBH (Time TBA) WENC Ch 11 Sunday Nov 7th at 12:30am; WGBY Springfield Ch 57 Sunday, Nov 21 at 11pm.

You can use this link to find air times in your area: http://www.inthelifetv.org/ .