Resilience and Aging Among Black Gay and Bisexual Older Men

Angela K. Perone (), Beth Glover Reed and Larry M. Gant
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Angela K. Perone: School of Social Welfare, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
Beth Glover Reed: School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Larry M. Gant: School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 8, 1-23

Abstract: Black gay and bisexual older men face numerous barriers across the life course that can contribute to negative health and well-being as they age. Drawing on strengths-based social determinants discussed in the health literature and literature on intersectionality, justice, and critical consciousness, this study examines qualitative data from seventeen Black gay and bisexual older men about sources and strategies of resilience and thriving amidst intersecting systems of power and oppression that shape health inequities. The findings revealed an evolution of positive support networks across their life courses, including biological family and families of choice such as “houses” and support groups. Early and ongoing negative experiences relating to intersecting positionalities (e.g., race, gender, sexual orientation) also provided sources of strength and resilience. Participants identified three strategies for building resilience and thriving: naming external ignorance, acknowledging common struggles, and reconciling contradictions. These strategies reflected various levels of critical consciousness that helped them navigate complex and intersecting systems of power that they encountered as Black gay men across the life course. Overall, the findings underscore the importance of considering intersecting systems of power and critical consciousness when examining resilience and social determinants of health and contribute new insights on a vastly understudied population.

Keywords: intersectionality; sexual orientation; race; critical consciousness; health inequities; health disparities; social determinants of health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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