One can never be too old or too gay

One can never be too old or too gay

The mainstreaming of gay culture makes for a better future

Kelvin Browne, Weekend Post

Gays have long enjoyed good branding: cute, buff and young. But, shocking as this may seem, the reality is that even gays get old. Who'd have thought it would happen to those beautiful, almost-naked boys frolicking on floats during the Pride Parade? Ageing is a terrible word in the gay community, raising as it does the spectre of turning into an old queen. Imagine Quentin Crisp, not as entertainment but as the reflection in your mirror.

That said, old age today presents many advantages for gays and lesbians (and related gay brands) that didn't exist a generation ago. Evolving positive attitudes toward homosexuality, for instance, make life more comfortable, especially with the advent of retirement benefits and other entitlements that were previously withheld. Plus, the sheer number of gay Boomers within the gay population means that they will continue to shape attitudes, and do so more broadly than was possible in the past. These days, there's exercise and readily available cosmetic surgery, all of which can prevent the slide from macho to matronly.