Abstract
The introduction begins by asking why lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people experience places like schools, dormitories, hospitals, senior centers, parks, shopping malls, public transportation, and government offices as either safe or threatening. It then describes my methodology of philosophical analysis grounded in my experience as an activist and LGBT cultural competency trainer, and outlines why I use the work of feminist care ethics and French philosopher Henri Bergson to elaborate my notion of affirmation. The introduction ends with my definition of affirmation as an indispensable interpersonal and political process through which we create the identities and spaces that allow for human flourishing.
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Notes
- 1.
Throughout this book I use the acronym LGBT, rather than the increasingly common LGBTQ or Queer. I do that because many older adults do not identify as queer, and because this text seeks to be an intervention in mainstream political discussions where LGBT is the most commonly used and understood term to discuss sexual and gender minorities. My discussion should be understood to include queer, questioning, gender nonconforming, intersex people, and any other identity or identification that considers itself aligned with the LGBT umbrella.
- 2.
Fluidity is different for each person. Two people, one of whom uses a wheelchair and the other does not, will each have a different idea of fluidity, as well as different requirements for their environment to enable that fluidity. Likewise, fluid mobility is also an emotional state of comfort and ease. An older adult may no longer be physically mobile, but the term can still describe their ability to feel as though they are integrated and welcome in their environment. Each person will have their own experiences of fluidity; it is a guideline and suggested norm that must be fleshed out by each person as they live their life.
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Johnston, T.R. (2016). Introduction: The Need for Affirming Spaces. In: Affirmation, Care Ethics, and LGBT Identity. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-59304-7_1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-59304-7_1
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Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, New York
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Online ISBN: 978-1-137-59304-7
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