Educational Media Reviews Online

Ten More Good Years, a documentary, chronicles the lives of several contemporary GLBT “elders” against the history of gay rights and the current state of social services and resources available to the aging homosexual community.

The film would be an extremely important addition to any library or collection that focuses on GLBT issues in particular or aging or elder care in general. The title is taken from an Eartha Kitt song and also, in a somewhat bitterly ironic way, harkens to the White House Council on Aging—a United States government task force that convenes once per decade and seems to have directed these (and surely other heterosexual) individuals into unfortunate plights in their “golden years.”

The 2005 Council on Aging (which, it is explained, had many proscriptive rules attached to it from its outset) as well as society overall assumes, says the film, that the aging population is exclusively heterosexual. By employing personal interviews and statistical facts, Ten More Good Years shows how many gay elderly people have fallen between the cracks, as it were, denied pensions and survivors’ benefits of their partners, and how elder care institutions have shown (and might promote) obvious bigotry against these gay seniors, leading some – who lived through and may have participated in the seminal gay rights events of the 1960s and 1970s – back into the closet.

The documentary exposes many issues in its fair encapsulation of the featured individuals’ lives, but backs them up with easily graspable narrative, interviews, and facts. And the film records many current activists in both the gay and elder (and overlapping) communities, distilling the subjects’ experiences into analogies that are immediately apparent. While discussing the poor (personal) social security benefits often afforded to elderly gay individuals, the social experts point out that many homosexuals fled to “gay friendly” zones, such as San Francisco where they may have had to take lower paying or free-lance jobs – jobs that would not build much credit toward SSI. Indeed, in quoting both census data and the experience of individuals, the film proves that—contrary to commonly held belief—homosexual men and women, while being more educated that the norm, are often less affluent. In addition to the veterans who were dishonorably discharged for being “outed” and the individuals who worked freelance and lower-paying jobs, there are those who are ineligible for survivors’ benefits and deceased partners’ pensions. There are no benefits afforded, the film shows. None.

(Indeed, there has recently been much [as yet] unsubstantiated talk of Annie Leibovitz’ financial strife being a direct result of the unfair taxes brought about by the death of her partner, Susan Sontag, and the latter’s bequests to the photographer.)

The poor economic conditions experienced by some of these individuals can lead to homelessness at worst or sometimes living in restrictive, bigoted environments, at best.

While presenting these issues in an extremely well-constructed manner, Ten More Good Years also highlights an element often missing from GLBT documentaries of this type—the “T,” the transgendered population. What can even fairly skilled health care workers make of a biological male who has lived the vast portion of her life as a female? Is she to be put with the men in a nursing facility? And how can any of the outcomes be explained? Indeed, the “T” is represented better here than in most films of this ilk, and the documentary makes clear that the transgendered population is not forgotten in the quest for equal protections for all non-heterosexual individuals.

In fact, a truly holistic, balanced view of the spectrum of GLBT is presented within the film. Much is made of the fact, say the interviewees, that the lesbian community stepped up, helping the gay male population during the onset of the AIDS epidemic when these men could not really advocate for themselves and when the rest of the country would not.

And in this section on the AIDS crisis, Ten More Good Years presents further interesting points, noting, for instance, that there is something of a “lost generation” between gay elders and the homosexual youth of today. With much of the aging gay population decimated by the AIDS epidemic—coupled with the ever-present reality of gays leaving or being ostracized from their families—gay youth and younger relatives of gay people might simply not “see” many gay adults. It’s “like they sort of disappeared,” says one gay young man. In its recording of a sort of “pan-gay” activism, the film shows some blossoming intergenerational programs meant to teach the youths about a truly hidden history.

As the film shows bridges between gays of different generations, it always balances the issues of the homosexual subculture within the context of overall matters; and this is most clear in the discussions on the White House Council on Aging. The crime of the 2005 Council was not necessarily against only the GLBT community, says the film; the Council allowed voting on pre-determined amendments—a simple yes or no, with the most popular(!) returned to Council for consideration. No new amendments or changes were allowed. In this way, the advocates for GLBT aging highlighted the concerns of the straight ageing community. Indeed, the concerns of the (gay) individuals in the film are fairly the concerns of all (gay, straight, transgendered, or otherwise) of the aging population.

With the purchase of the film, an educators’ guide is available. At more than 60 pages, this guide presents not only classroom-type questions for consideration but well-written and useful chapters to be used in conjunction with the film. The guide describes a brief GLBT history, a more in-depth study of some of the interviewees, but also explores and explains government policies, intergenerational relationships, and—importantly—references to the work itself as well as outside resources for contact. Some of the guide’s discussion about the Pension Protection Act, living wills, and powers of attorney are surely essential for aging people of all sexual inclinations.

Given the subject matter, there is, of course, some non-mainstream language and a bit of nudity in art, but nothing to advocate keeping this important work from high school students or older audiences. As an important contribution to the contemporary American documentary film school and for the exposition of its subject matter to a wider audience, Ten More Good Years is highly recommended for libraries and special collections that specialize as well as individuals interested in aging, gay and lesbian studies, and gender studies.

Awards

• John Deen Award, Spokane Film Festival
• Honorable Mention: ION International Film Festival