Gilbrea Seminar Series – Pedagogical approaches to disrupt normativity in gerontology: A focus on LGBTQ+ aging

As Canada’s population ages it is increasingly important to recognize the heterogeneity of older adults, including their diverse needs as they age. Included within the aging population are those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer (LGBTQ+). Gerontology is a still a relatively new field; much of the gerontological research often relies solely from majority populations and fails to account for diverse experiences of aging, including those from LGBTQ+ communities. As a result, many of the teaching resources and evidence that informs gerontology pedagogy is centred around heterosexual and cisgender aging, often ignoring or inadvertently perpetuating normative ideas about aging (Clarke, Ellis, Peel, & Riggs, 2010; Witten, Eyler, Ettner, & Eyler, 2007) and discounting life courses that fall outside of the ‘norm.’ Within this seminar, we will explore ways to disrupt and deconstruct normativity in gerontology and engage with new pedagogical approaches that prioritize representation of older adults with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities into gerontology education and training. FREE SEMINAR | EVERYONE WELCOME
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Kimberley Wilson, PhD, MSW, is an Assistant Professor in Adult Development & Aging in the Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition at the University of Guelph. As a social gerontologist, her program of research is broadly focused on health and well-being for aging individuals and aging populations. Kim’s current research is focused on understanding and accounting for diverse experiences of aging, with a particular focus on LGBTQ+ older adults.

The Gilbrea Centre is an interdisciplinary research hub that is dedicated to addressing issues of aging through collaborative and policy relevant research.

email: gilbrea@mcmaster.ca
website: https://gilbrea.mcmaster.ca