press release
Published: 26 November 2024

Forced back in the closet: The Life House Project exposes the harsh reality for the older LGBTQ+ community

Reports of older LGBTQ+ people forced back into the closet after entering a care home or housing for older people have been shared by participants in a project led by the University of Surrey. 

The Life House Project is designed to address findings from previous research at Surrey, which found that half of LBGTQ+ people have concerns about safety in their homes and neighbourhoods as they get older. It was discovered that members of this community felt that they had to hide or conceal key parts of their identity due to fears of encountering discrimination or outright abuse. 

The Life House Project uses theatre to raise awareness about the issues that exist for LGBTQ+ people within the care and housing provision and offer strategies for how these settings can become more LGBTQ+ inclusive. Together with Tonic Housing, the UK's first LGBTQ+ affirmative retirement community, and the Brixton Umbrella Circle, the University has undertaken a series of interactive theatre workshops that include improvisation, scene writing, and character development. Through these activities, the team are unearthing the difficult and complex relationship that many older LGBTQ+ people have encountered within social care and housing. In doing so, the team demonstrates how theatre can be an effective tool for exploring the experiences of older adults and lobbying for change by highlighting them to wider audiences.  

The research team has released a short documentary video detailing its journey in developing The Life House Project. The documentary has heartwarming stories from some people who are participating in the project as they discuss how theatre can be used to raise awareness and support them to advocate around these issues. The project also shines a light on the trials faced by a community who have living memory of the criminalisation of homosexuality and endured the Aids/HIV epidemic and their fears of what prejudices may lie ahead as they begin to enter old age.  

Please visit The Life House Project's website for more information.

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Media Contacts


Dr Georgia Bowers
Lecturer & Course Leader Applied and Contemporary Theatre (GSA)
Phone:
Richard Green
Surrey Future Fellow
Phone: +44 (0)1483 689784
Andrew King
Head of Sociology, Professor of Sociology
Phone: +441483686982

External Communications and PR team
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Email: mediarelations@surrey.ac.uk
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