NEW YORK, NY (March 13, 2025) 𑁋 Today, SAGE, the world’s largest and oldest organization advocating for LGBTQ+ older people, is proud to announce the launch of a groundbreaking new international archive. The Global Story Archive features the powerful and inspiring journeys of dozens of LGBTIQ+ elders from around the world. As the first archive to document the lives of LGBTIQ+ elders on an international scale, this project is a testament to the resilience, courage, and triumphs of LGBTIQ+ pioneers globally.
The launch of the archive comes at the height of the Trump administration’s recent Executive Orders halting foreign aid. This led to the immediate suspension of SAGE’s international program, which helped fund the creation of this archive and other crucial work within a global network of LGBTIQ+ elder activists. SAGE’s new Global Story Archive ensures that these elders’ voices will not be erased. Now, more than ever, the voices of queer elders can encourage hope, unity, and strength. They can also serve as a reminder that the LGBTIQ+ community has survived — and flourished — against all odds.
“The indefinite suspension of SAGE’s international programming is a serious blow to our LGBTIQ+ elders across the globe,” said Hannah Yore, Director of International Programs at SAGE. “This archive is not just about preserving individual experiences; it is about honoring our community’s collective resilience, ensuring their place in history, and advocating for a future where older LGBTIQ+ people are respected, celebrated, and heard. By amplifying their voices, we honor the history and contributions of a community that has been at the forefront of the fight for LGBTIQ+ rights, ensuring that their wisdom, strength, and courage are preserved for future generations.”
Over the last three years, Yore worked in collaboration with partners like Outright International, CIPAC, Mitini Nepal, and dozens of grassroots artists and activists to collect testimonies from more than 70 LGBTIQ+ older people around the world. This collection includes stories from pioneers like Kasha Nabagese, one of the most outspoken LGBTIQ+ Ugandan human rights activists and recipient of the Right Livelihood Award; Dede Oetemo, considered the godfather of Indonesia’s gay rights movement; Gloria Perez, founder of one of the most powerful LGBTIQ+ organizations in Mexico; and Kevin Mwachiro, a Kenyan activist known for his art and journalism.
These stories span across various multiple formats, such as video interviews and virtual storybooks, and hail from diverse countries like Uganda, Nepal, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Greece. In these stories, LGBTIQ+ elders share first hand experiences dealing with and overcoming systemic challenges — like housing and economic insecurity, aging alone, and hostile leadership — underscoring both the unique experiences and shared bonds within the global LGBTIQ+ community.
“We have to celebrate our wins,” Mwachiro said. “We have to remind ourselves of our wins. We have to remind ourselves that we are on the right side of history. That love does win. We’re seeing victories in other parts of the world, and maybe that’s where our strength will come from.”
Explore the pioneering archive at sageusa.org/global-story-archive. Interviews with Hannah Yore and featured LGBTIQ+ elders are available upon request.
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About SAGE
At SAGE, we envision a world where LGBTQ+ elders are valued, have limitless opportunities, and thrive. Since 1978, we have led the way in advocating for policies, services, and resources that empower LGBTQ+ elders to live openly and authentically. Our dedicated team members work nationally and globally to protect our rights, build health and longevity, and preserve the vibrancy of our community as we age. Each one of us has a place to create a bright and vibrant future for the LGBTQ+ community as each one of us lights the way for the next generation to follow. Learn more at sageusa.org.
