Middle-Aged Gay Men, Ageing and Ageism

275 Pages·2016·1.47 MB·English

by  Paul Simpson

Middle-Aged Gay Men, Ageing and Ageism
AlsobyPaulSimpson
PARTICIPANTOBSERVATIONANDINTERVIEWS:Middle-AgedGayMen’s
ResponsestoAgeingandAgeism
Middle-Aged Gay Men,
Ageing and Ageism
Over the Rainbow?
Paul Simpson
LecturerinAppliedHealthandSocialCare,EdgeHillUniversity,UK
©PaulSimpson2015
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Simpson,Paul,1958–author.
Middleagedgaymen,ageingandageism:overtherainbow?/
PaulSimpson.
pages cm
1. Middle-agedgaymen. 2. Aging—Socialaspects. 3. Ageism.
I. Title.
HQ76.14.S562015
306.76(cid:2)620844—dc23 2015019745
For Gordon and Barbara, and to the Memory of John
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Contents
ListofFigures viii
Acknowledgements ix
AbouttheAuthor x
1 SettingtheGayScene:Orientation,DefinitionsandThemes 1
2 WorkontheBody:DifferentiatingandKeepingUp
Appearances 32
3 VillageLife:Alienation,AmbivalenceandAgency 58
4 LessAccessible‘Homospaces’:TheOnlineGayScene,
SaunasandSocialGroups 92
5 Negotiating‘Heterospaces’:Tolerance,Convivialityand
ResistanceatRest,WorkandPlay 121
6 TheSceneatHomewithSignificantOthers:Intimacyand
Inclusion 144
7 GayAgeingbeyondManchester:International
ComparisonsandContrasts 175
8 ReimaginingPoliticsandPowerRelations 195
Appendix1:InterviewRespondents(inOrderofInterview)–
PenPortraits 211
Appendix2:ObservationVenues–PenPortraits 222
Appendix3:MapofManchester’sGayVillage 227
References 228
Index 242
vii
Figures
1.1 Manchester’sgayvillage,CanalStreet 13
3.1 Manchester’sgayvillage,CanalStreet 65
3.2aand3.2b Liminalgayspaces 82
3A.1 Mapofthegayvillage 227
viii
Acknowledgements
Thankfully, researching and writing are never solitary projects. Vari-
ous invaluable influences have shaped this book and its author. First,
huge thanks are extended to Brian Heaphy and Wendy Bottero, who
guidedmetowhatInowknowaboutresearchingandwriting,andwho
have proved to be convivial and supportive colleagues. I also extend
thankstomyformeremployer,theUniversityofManchester,forprovid-
ingthefunding,courtesyoftheEconomicandSocialResearchCouncil
(UK), to do the research on which this book is based. Gratitude is also
extendedtoAndrewJames,PhilippaGrandandJudithAllanatPalgrave
Macmillan. For the photographs, I thank Gordon and Gillian Clough
and Andrew Gilliver at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans Founda-
tion(Manchester)(formerlytheLesbianandGayFoundation)whogave
quickandhelpfulresponsestomanyrequestsforinformation.Thisbook
has also been influenced by Bridget Byrne, Derek McGhee and Josh
Richards, who I thank for their support, collegiality and close engage-
mentwithmyworkoverseveralyears.PeterRobinson,ChrisHajekand
Charlotte McCarthy, and the anonymous reviewers, also figure among
a network of critical friends whose ideas and/or wise counsel have sig-
nificantlyimprovedthebookthatemergedfrommyoriginalstudy.Paul
McAndrewandVictoriaScottarethankedfortheirinspirationregarding
the book’s title. The study participants are singled out for their gen-
erosity in terms of their insights, and for the time, care, honesty and
thoroughnesswithwhichtheyrespondedtomyquestionsduringinter-
views of, generally, over two hours. Thanks are given to my mother,
BarbaraSimpson,mylatefather(Peter)JohnSimpson,ChristineHoward
and family, David Ashurst and Martin Quirk for affection, encourage-
ment and support going back many years. Last but not least, love
beyond measure is due to my civil partner, Gordon Blows, who has
shouldered the domestic responsibilities and helped keep me sane and
groundedduringthewritingofthisbookthroughhisinimitablemixof
care,humour,insight,intelligentfeedbackandlove.
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