Representatives honored LGBTQ+ activists Ruthie Berman and the late Connie Kurtz, and called on Congress to pass LGBTQ+ aging bill
[Washington, D.C.] Today U.S. Representative Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) honored Ruthie Berman and the late Connie Kurtz for their tireless activism in the LGBTQ+ community. In addition to acknowledging their efforts, Bonamici, along with her colleagues Ted Deutch (FL-22) and Charlie Christ (FL-13), advocated for the passage of the Ruthie and Connie LGBTQ+ Elder Americans Act, a bill introduced in 2017 to better serve LGBTQ+ elders, who face higher rates of poverty, pronounced social isolation, and less access to health care due to barriers in the aging system and past discrimination.The bill, endorsed by SAGE, would increase federal support to millions of LGBTQ+ elders through the Older Americans Act (OAA), the country’s largest vehicle for funding and delivering services to older people in the U.S. It is expected to be re-introduced next year for a vote.
“SAGE applauds representatives Bonamici, Deutch and Christ for championing the inclusion of LGBTQ+ elders in the Older Americans Act,” says SAGE CEO Michael Adams. “This is a well-deserved honor and tribute to our beloved Ruthie and Connie, LGBTQ+ trailblazers who spent decades fighting on behalf of equal treatment for the LGBTQ+ community. SAGE will continue to advocate for this important legislation and for more federal policies that address the needs of our LGBTQ+ elders, and enable them to age with the dignity and respect.”
###
SAGE is the country’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ+) older people. Founded in 1978 and headquartered in New York City, SAGE is a national organization that offers supportive services and consumer resources to LGBTQ+ older people and their caregivers. SAGE also advocates for public policy changes that address the needs of LGBTQ+ elders, provides education and technical assistance for aging providers and LGBTQ+ community organizations through its National Resource Center on LGBTQ+ Aging, and cultural competency training through SAGECare. With staff located across the country, SAGE also coordinates SAGENet, a growing network of affiliates in the United States. Learn more at sageusa.org.
