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HIGH GEAR

June 1976

GREY PANTHERS

Susan Ashton is a member of the organization known as The Grey Panthers and is active in fighting discrimination against old people locally. Although a young woman, she has extensive experience in working with the elderly here in Cleveland and has generously consented to this interview:

HIGH GEAR: "Who are "The Grey Panthers?"

Panthers are a group of old, middle-aged and young people who are into social issues dealing specifically with the lives of older people. Nationally there are about 8000 people actively involved in The Grey Panthers. Locally we are a small group. Unfortunately, older people are afraid of "movements." How do you buck a system that is materially suppor-

SUSAN ASHTON: The Grey ting you?

ONE NIGHT

AFFAIR

By Van Ault

1

Watching you in a sodden slumber,

H.G.: What major issues do the Panthers confront?

S.A.: We are not a "goodies for senior citizens" group. We are a coalition of people for social action. We oppose the exploitative nursing home industry.

There are more nursing home beds in this country than there are hospital beds. Although there is a trend away from nursing homes toward noninstitutional support, the medical care bureaucracy is infiltrating noninstitutional support so as to

I'm perplexed about the night make the private home merely

before.

Was that YOU-

Or an intoxicated charade? For I've played games many times

(But never found out who wins.)

It follows the same old circle, Stuck to the same trite script. But which words were yours, And which were the scripts?

II.

The light in your eyes flared brightly,

But its true color I could not discern.

The invitation back sounded sincere,

Yet when I followed..I found nothing.

I concluded the light had been cancelled

By the morning sun.

So I'll leave this mental mystery To the insiders you know. Perhaps they can comprehend.

III.

But I don't mind

Watching my air castles crumble-

They've immunized me With many injections.

IV.

As I stand in the cool twilight of doubt,

see the insidious folly in desire.

Finally I have the tenacity To look it in the eye And see it for what it is.

The anguish of ambiguity You may keep for yourselfI've had my share destruction...

of

an extension of the nursing home. We are making efforts to combat the nursing home monopoly.

The Grey Panthers are largely

concerned with fiscal issues but are also challenging mandatory retirement laws, detrimental changes in the Medicaid program and even such things as the S-1 Bill and the B-1 bomber.

H.G.: Do you foresee a dramatic upsurge of political activity on behalf of old people when the radical activists of the Sixties (our generation) reach old age?

S.A.: There is already an upsurge in older peoples' political activities. Growing old itself has become a radicalizing event. Our society, which lauds work and productivity, takes away one's feeling of usefulness at a specified age. To many people, primarily heterosexuals, radicalization occurs because of an incredible role change. Gays and singles will have one up on married people in later years because they have not been subjected to confining family roles and one-to-one dependency.

Older gays will focus energy on communal relationships and friendships. Old agers have the potential to become the most radical segment of society. They are intensely; systematically and overtly discriminated against, but unlike other "minorities" they have plenty of free time and human resources. Mature citizens are entitled to participate in any aspect of social activity for which they feel prepared.

H.G.: What about the notion that older gays tend to be lonelier or more miserable than older straights?

S.A.: I think that although gay people go through an identity crisis when young, they are not compelled to face the same crisis when old. They define themselves much earlier than do straight people. Studies done on men fifty years of age or older in New York City indicate that gay males are happier than straight males in the same age range. Gays approaching old age should definitely cease imitating heterosexual, monogamous relationships. The answer to the problem of associations may lie in collectives or small group

living situations. One of the leading tragedies of old age has been the loss of one person to whom one is exclusively attached. My experience with adults in late maturity bears out the fact that women who have been single all their lives or who now live in groups are far better off than widows. They tend to be secure and independent.

H.G.: Could you comment on the phenomenon or philosophy of "ageism?

S.A.: One of the largest national projects is the "Grey Panthers' Media Watch," which is designed to attack ageism. We believe ageism is quite like sexism and racism and is fostered by straight male stereotyping.

Many gay men I have spoken to deny that they are severely oppressed by ageism. In fact, the idea that "nobody loves you when you're old and gay" may be a stereotype which gays have of themselves. Older gay men

frequently segregate or insulate themselves against sexist or sex-obssed younger men.

Interestingly, with women there is an element of reverse ageism. Older gay women are pursued much as younger gay.

men are. Younger women have a harder time of it in lesbian group situations. Women are more hung up on monogamy than men and younger women look to older women for security.

Gays have more potential for happiness in old age for the simple reason that gays have more fun and pursue it all their lives. Even straights have been heard to remark, for example, that gay bars are more enjoyable than straight establishments. Heterosexuals are more competitive than gays in regard to relationships. Gays can more easily identify with a crowd and are more sociable.

H.G.: What is the official Grey Panther position toward gays?

S.A.: Maggie Kuhn, the head of The Grey Panthers, is all for supporting gay people. It is my personal conviction that gay interaction would be good, as an alternative, for quite a few old men and women. If only the elderly were that "loose!" As astounding as it may seem, I have known older people who have not had sexual relationships all their lives. Some have homo-emotional relationships but would be appalled if they were suspected of being gay..

H.G.: Are such characteristics

as "senility" legitimate or stereotypes?

S.A.: There are schools of psychological thought on senility. The "withdrawal"

school asserts that it is natural for them to become "with.

drawn." We say it's a lot of crap; an induced, artificial role. Grey Panthers seek to change the roles of old people. We want to train them to become watchdogs of culture and educate them to legal methodology. They should possess expertise in everything from medical and social security forms to actual legal proceedings.

Behavior which is classed as "senile" more often than not results from excessive use of drugs, either in nursing homes or self-addiction encouraged by the medicine industry. Malnourishment is also a common cause of so-called "senile" man ifestations. In several instances senility is an illusion superimposed upon mature adults. The Panthers have recently convinIced the ethics board of CBS to include ageism in the list of things it will not promote. Such entertainers as Carol Burnett have agreed not to use caricatures of "senile" adults. H.G.: Should we gays feel optimistic about our individual futures?

S.A.: Certainly, a straight older woman surprised me of late by declaring. "It's not what you do in bed, it's who you are that counts."