[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/here-queer-and-facing-their-silver-years\/#NewsArticle","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/here-queer-and-facing-their-silver-years\/","headline":"Here, queer, and facing their silver years","name":"Here, queer, and facing their silver years","description":"In the second instalment of this two-part series, TheHomeGround Asia delves deeper into the challenges faced by the queer community when it comes to ageing, the pressures they face, and how this impacts their views of the future. When it comes to ageing, finding a social safety net is a challenge that the queer community […]","datePublished":"2021-05-10","dateModified":"2022-04-14","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/author\/Maisie%20Leong\/#Person","name":"Maisie Leong","url":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/author\/Maisie%20Leong\/","identifier":227,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4f5c852853ba8ed19bedc5417be7db8166064cfcb8857f5ec40bb516fab94b2d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4f5c852853ba8ed19bedc5417be7db8166064cfcb8857f5ec40bb516fab94b2d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"TheHomeGround Asia","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/photo_2021-07-22-222533.jpeg","url":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/photo_2021-07-22-222533.jpeg","width":640,"height":640}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/1620640823394_Here_queer_facing_silver_years_281080x62629.jpg","url":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/1620640823394_Here_queer_facing_silver_years_281080x62629.jpg","height":626,"width":1280},"url":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/here-queer-and-facing-their-silver-years\/","commentCount":"3","comment":[{"@type":"Comment","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/here-queer-and-facing-their-silver-years\/#Comment1","dateCreated":"2026-05-03 05:56:53","description":"This should be featured everywhere.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"world live tv channels","url":"https:\/\/blackfriday.com\/otc\/00TJYVEe7VpuFpQhOpxcfVu\/06JvmsNQZlHsGvE9ObI4dGT?url=https:\/\/www.oneotv.com\/"}},{"@type":"Comment","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/here-queer-and-facing-their-silver-years\/#Comment2","dateCreated":"2026-04-27 23:22:45","description":"Perfectly balanced between detail and simplicity.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"women's puma shoes","url":"https:\/\/globalshoepalace.com\/product-category\/women\/puma-women-shoes"}},{"@type":"Comment","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/here-queer-and-facing-their-silver-years\/#Comment3","dateCreated":"2026-04-25 09:33:40","description":"Perfectly balanced between detail and simplicity.","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Salomon childrens shoes","url":"https:\/\/globalshoepalace.com\/product-category\/men\/Salomon-Men-Shoes"}}],"about":["Asia","Community","Health & Wellness","Sex & Gender","Singapore"],"wordCount":1284,"articleBody":"In the second instalment of this two-part series, TheHomeGround Asia delves deeper into the challenges faced by the queer community when it comes to ageing, the pressures they face, and how this impacts their views of the future.When it comes to ageing, finding a social safety net is a challenge that the queer community faces.Sarah (not her real name), an expatriate in her 50s who identifies as a lesbian, thinks that Singapore\u2019s social safety net is reliant on family support and \u201cincentivising the heterosexual nuclear family\u201d. However, she is quick to point out that not all queer people have family support, which she says can \u201ccreate a level of vulnerability\u201d.\u00a0\u201cA lot of people either have to really tough it out in family environments that are not supportive, or leave,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd when they leave, they put themselves at a huge risk of financial insecurity.\u201d\u00a0She says that queer people do not often have the safety net of \u201cfamily… social acceptance… [and] in some cases, even a social network of friends who can be there for us.\u201dDeveloping a social network can also prove to be difficult, especially for the older members of the queer community.\u00a0Sarah explains that the spaces that the queer community have to gather and form a community, such as clubs, bars and cafes, tend to be focused among younger people, adding that individuals in the lesbian community tend to \u201ccouple off, and you just go home and knit, and they’re not out in the world anymore.\u201dThis can lead to social isolation as one gets older.\u201cIf you find yourself later in life, your partner has died, or you’re divorced… or you have an illness or a disability, you can find yourself extremely socially isolated as well,\u201d she says, adding that people can start to feel isolated and excluded when they cannot fit into the queer community.\u00a0The impact of not legalising same-sex marriage on ageingThe lack of recognition for same-sex spouses in Singapore is yet another issue that the queer community faces, Sarah explains, as this would lead to queer spouses not having the same legal rights as spouses in heterosexual marriages. Sarah says that queer couples have to consider factors such as whether they would be separated from their spouses, or whether their relationships will be recognised in a way that allows them to age with their partners. (Source: Nick Karvounis \/ Unsplash)This has a direct impact on immediate day-to-day situations as well, such as one\u2019s ability to visit a loved one who falls ill and is in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).\u00a0Dr Roy Tan explains that only immediate family members have visitation rights to patients who are in the ICU. \u201c[If] you’re the partner of a person, even if you’ve been living with [them] for years and years, you’re not allowed to visit him,\u201d he explains.\u00a0Nicholas (not his real name), who identifies as bisexual and works in the communications industry, shares that one of his friends was in a similar situation after her partner had to be warded in the ICU after an accident.\u00a0\u201cShe felt completely guilty and just distraught because she couldn’t go into the ICU,\u201d he says. \u201cShe also felt weird loitering around, because after a while people realise like how come this girl keeps staying here for this other girl [when] they\u2019re clearly not [from] the same family? So then she felt she had to go back [home and] she felt even worse.\u201d\u00a0Partners in same-sex relationships are unable to visit their significant others in the ICU, as only immediate family members are allowed to do so. (Souce: Muskan Anand \/ Canva)Sarah notes that the lack of recognition of same-sex marriage also has repercussions on a queer person\u2019s legal rights when it comes to their children.\u201cA gay or lesbian couple isn’t allowed to adopt in Singapore,\u201d she says. \u201cI know some lesbian women who’ve adopted, but they’ve done it as saying they are singles.\u201d\u00a0For those who have managed to adopt children, she claims that the lack of legal recognition presents issues such as the non-biological parent having no legal rights to their children, as opposed to countries where the non-biological parent is able to adopt the child.Not having a legally recognised marriage also creates a greater need for a lasting power of attorney (LPA) for those in queer relationships. Dr Tan shares that it is recommended that gay individuals arrange for an LPA, to let one\u2019s partner or close friends have better control over their care and financial situation, as they would not be able to without an LPA.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cIf you lose your mental capacity, your partner cannot make your decision for you, only your immediate family members [can],\u201d he explains.\u00a0An LPA enables individuals aged 21 years old and above to appoint a person to make decisions on their behalf, in the event that they lose mental capacity. This would grant the appointed person the ability to act on their behalf for matters concerning one\u2019s personal welfare and property and affairs.\u00a0Challenges faced by single people\u00a0LGBTQ+ individuals who are single face additional challenges, such as limited access to housing needs, Sarah says.\u00a0She explains, \u201cIf we look at access to HDB [housing], for example, a lesbian couple can’t access… Even a single woman has to wait until she’s well into her 30s.\u201dGrants offered for housing programmes that cater to singles include the Singles Grant and Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (Singles), both of which are available to Singapore citizens who are single and aged 35 years and above.\u00a0\u00a0Those who are queer and single also face the worry of not having people who can take care of them, says Zuby Eusofe, founder of The Healing Circle SG, which aims to provide a safe space for queer Muslim people in Singapore.\u201cThey may have nephews or nieces or siblings of their own age that will look after them. But after that, where will they go?\u201d she asks, questioning whether old age homes are equipped to cater to the needs of the LGBTQ+ community.\u00a0Medical expenses are yet another worry, especially if they do not have children who can aid them with defraying these expenses as they get older.\u00a0Zuby adds that in a nuclear family, one\u2019s children can help to cover some of these medical expenses, but that queer people without offspring do not have that option.\u00a0\u201cFor single queer people, that will be very tough. They do not have anyone,\u201d she says.\u00a0Planning for the futureFor Zuby, keeping herself healthy is a priority. \u201cI try to look after myself, like doing exercise once a week…It’s really important for me to keep my health,\u201d she says.\u00a0When asked about how he plans to take care of himself in his older years, Nicholas, whose family is unaware of his sexual orientation, says that he envisions himself hiring a domestic helper to help him, and worries over his ability to support himself in the future.\u00a0He says, \u201cI don\u2019t fear ageing, but I fear [that] I cannot support myself, because I cannot depend on my family to help me out if they know the real circumstances.\u201d\u00a0Sarah believes that helping the queer community in the ageing process would entail enacting change at an earlier stage, to provide greater social security.\u00a0“We have to start a lot earlier than aged care,\u201d she notes. \u201cIt’s about ageing in the best context possible… having the right economic opportunities upfront.\u201d\u00a0Join the conversations on TheHomeGround Asia’s Facebook and Instagram, and get the latest updates via Telegram."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Destinations","item":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Singapore","item":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/\/singapore\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Here, queer, and facing their silver years","item":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/here-queer-and-facing-their-silver-years\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]