New housing development for LGBTQ people 55+

[Justme56]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12926315/LGBTQ-extra-care-housing-development-Manchester-UKs-55s-residents.html

Exactly this - and some Ts don’t take kindly at all to being told their male advances on lesbian women aren’t welcome.

If older gay women want to live in a female only environment there are some cohousing groups that might suit them.

Like this one https://lolcohousing.co.uk/
I don't see any reason people shouldn't live in different kinds of groupings however they like.

I agree - and hope that women’s cohousing groups are able to refuse biological males if they do choose.

@Fireyflies

I think that is great, looks like they are setting up a housing cooperative (I briefly worked for a coop development agency) though partners seem to have pulled out. Not clear why. Using the word, lesbian and women are now problematic and their mission statement the door wide open to them other women and lesbians.

I hope they stay under the radar and achieve their goals.

But LGBTQI++++ is such a broad and nefarious grouping it is hard to know how this could be delivered.

I mean the Manchester project

I’d be wary of living anywhere that bundles LGB together with TQ+.

Just gone into the Great Places website. It says this about the residents.

”The residents will be required to be aged 55 years or over, with the majority of residents being members of the LGBTQ+ community from Manchester. Living alongside allies and other members of the local community, the aim is to provide an open and inclusive, physical and psychological place of safety for the older LGBTQ+ community and a welcome addition to the Whalley Range area.”.

Actual website, including link to survey for local residents.

https://www.greatplaces.org.uk/?news=great-places-launches-consultation-for-first-of-a-kind-purpose-built-majority-lgbtq-extra-care-housing-scheme-proposals

Which is great - but as I said upthread, will a GC lesbian be allowed to apply?

Which is great - but as I said upthread, will a GC lesbian be allowed to apply?

It’s a protected belief, so not allowing her to apply would be discrimination.

It will be interesting to see what criteria is applied though, and how it will be checked / assessed. The over 55 bit is easy - but the rest, not so much.

@SirChenjins I’ve got no idea, but on the consultation, it asks this:

”Do you consider yourself to be a member of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans+ (LGBT+) community? “

So a fairly general question.

Whalley Range is almost 40% Muslim and I’m mindful of the ‘No Outsiders’ kerfuffle in Birmingham.

Really hope I’m just being over sensitive here and this isn’t some ham fisted attempt to force a well
established conservative religious community to budge up for the councils rainbow rating (and that the future residents aren’t going to be used as culture war pawns)

https://citypopulation.de/en/uk/northwestengland/wards/manchester/E05011379__whalley_range/

The British Muslim Heritage Centre overlooks the proposed site:

https://bmhc.org.uk/

Sadly, I don’t trust MCR city council as far as I could throw them.

Not new https://www.consortium.lgbt/member-directory/tonic-housing-association/ I wouldn't care what anyone was/ wasn't, as long as they shared space nicely and were good neighbours. Targetting a group for a development doesn't necessarily make for an harmonious community. I work in housing and believe me, having a group of any shared characteristic in one place does not make for a calm and joyous environment, as the human factor that makes us all different will raise its head regardless!

Yes, a fairly general question which is meaningless when set against the statement “open and inclusive, physical and psychological place of safety”. How can you have women with gender critical views living alongside men who believe they are women and therefore entitled to access female only spaces? You can’t - unless it means that women will not be allowed female only spaces in which they can feel safe, which negates the aim.

They need to be far clearer about who is and isn’t welcome - which is why tagging T and Q onto an established community based on biological sex doesn’t work.

If it's for anyone that considers themselves a member of the LGBTQ+ community and their allies, then surely it's open to everyone. It looks like the only actual verifiable criteria is that you already live in the Manchester area.

@SirChenjins i hope you are local and can put this in the It’s a good point.

Not local, no, but I’m really surprised it hasn’t been raised tbh.

Actually, no I’m not ☹️

Noo not THOSE sort of Ls.

Indeed!

@TheClogLady Well your post information is very interesting.

Setting aside my GC proclivities, i am all for LA’s social policy breaking barriers down where tribal exclusivity occurs, which is common in cities.

I cannot imagine this is going to promote social harmony in one fell swoop

Actually I think there probably is a need, I work with older people many with dementia and the social filter is frequently just not there. Old prejudices are laid bare. I have had to support students who have experienced racist abuse and I don't doubt there would be homophobic / transphobic abuse too.

Older people who have lived under the rainbow should be able to live calmly without being exposed to this, and living with others in similar circumstances should help reduce the risk.

We possibly talked about this a year ago?
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/feb/02/i-knew-i-wanted-to-stay-here-for-the-rest-of-my-life-how-london-got-its-first-lgbtq-retirement-community

I think it's a nice idea but don't know how they would stop anyone applying- if you are hetero and wanted to go there you could just say you are the relevant gender, or bi etc. You'd probably not be outwardly homophobic to do that at least.

@MoreHairyThanScary

I am 61 we are talking about 55+ we are not 80+ and have nothing in common with that age group which you in general terms seem to be talking about.

My age range is much more progressive and not as likely to be prone to the pre sixties prejudices you refer to

I really resent the inference that if you are over 55 then you possess the same attitude as 70 or 80+

And even then it is a massive generalisation. Plenty of older people, including the elderly are progressive too

Talk about ageism

FFS

Well that told you @MoreHairyThanScary you are wrong, no over-55s have dementia and those that do are all perfectly polite to everyone.