Affirming Housing Environments for
LGBTQ Elders
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: George Kerr (202-468-9135)
Mary’s House for Older Adults Testifies before the DC Committee on
Government Operations
Washington,
DC – Feb. 28, 2017 – Last week the DC Committee on Government Operations held performance
oversight hearings on several DC Government Offices and Commissions, which
included the Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual , Transgender and Questioning
(LGBTQ) Affairs. The Committee heard
testimony from three members of Mary’s House:
Dr. Imani Woody, Mr. George Kerr and Ms. Andrea Whittiker.
Dr.
Woody, Mary’s House President and CEO, addressed several issues of concern to
the LBGTQ community. She stressed the
lack of data in the District is a major culprit contributing to the
invisibility of LGBTQ elders. It diminishes
the ability to quantify the number of LGBTQ people needing services. Furthermore, the methods of data collection
and insufficient data analytics seem to push LGBTQ concerns to the back
burner. For example, the intake form
used by DC’s Office on Aging addresses sexual orientation and gender identity,
but some workers are reluctant to ask the question, and often citizens decline
to answer when asked.
Dr.
Woody made several sustainable recommendations to the committee: (1) Funding wellness centers and events
sponsored by the D.C. Office on Aging and the Department of Parks and Recreation
and working with the Office of LGBTQ Affairs to attract, welcome and recognize
the presence of LGBTQ elders; and (2) Increasing funding to the Office of LGBTQ
Affairs to award contracts that provide more LGBTQ culturally competent
training throughout the District. The staff of publically-owned housing facilities
and other providers of elder services need this training.
Mr. George
Kerr, Chair of the Policy, Advocacy and Outreach Committee discussed similar
issues but urged the committee to do more.
His theme of “simply waving a pride flag is not enough” was passionately
delivered and impactful. He also
suggested more funding to LGBTQ programs and wellness centers and a
comprehensive strategy for DC’s LGBTQ citizens to enjoy the benefits and services
without isolation or discrimination.
(Continued)
Ms. Andrea Whittiker, a member of
the Policy, Advocacy and Outreach Committee, highlighted unacceptable housing
conditions in the District and reminded the committee to imagine living in such
a state while being LGBTQ. She went on
to suggest the Oversight Committee develop culturally competent services across
all DC government offices and agencies.
The Director
of the Office of LGBTQ Affairs, Ms. Sheila Alexander Reid, described the state
of her office and supported her presentation with favorable statistics and
improvements for the LGBTQ community.
Her plans are to “keep her foot on the pedal” to promote awareness of the
challenges facing LGBTQ people and potential solutions. She promised to collaborate
with all agencies affecting LGBTQ residents, including the Office of Aging, the
Office on Housing, and other community organizations.
About Mary’s House for Older Adults: Based in Washington, DC, Mary’s House is
committed to helping the community by developing housing and inclusive
environments that comprehensively address affordability and access, and
eliminate the constant worry of discrimination or even violence based upon the
LGBTQ/SGL status of the individual. The vision of Mary's House is to create
independent, communal housing for older adults that eliminates the intense
isolation experienced due to aging, subtle and overt discrimination and
intolerance based on one's sexual/gender identity or orientation. Its intent is
to meet the emotional, relational, social and other similar needs of older
adults through health and wellness programming, hydrotherapy coordination and
referral of community and social services.
Mary's House will be a model and set the standard for future housing of
its kind, that is, to create a living environment that celebrates and honors
the “whole person” as they age, no matter who they are. More information about Mary’s House is
available at: http://www.maryshousedc.org
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