Gay and Grey Montreal

Gay and Grey Montreal was formed in 2018 to help reduce isolation among older members of the English-speaking 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Montreal. We use the term ‘gay’ as an over-arching term for the whole community that includes two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual and anyone else who identifies as belonging to the community. We aim to be as inclusive as possible and are working to learn more about each other’s identities and how we can respect one another in all that we do. We promote a lifestyle where seniors can live their lives with dignity in an affirming, inclusive, supportive and healthy environment. We organize social activities such as potluck suppers, museum visits, cinema, 5 à 7s, outings to local markets, and community events and hold a weekly social gathering on Friday. Additionally, we organize community conferences sensitizing health and social workers to the needs of the senior English-speaking 2SLGBTQIA+ community. We continue to find our place in the community and respond to a variety of individuals – those who “come out” later in life, those who have suffered a loss and find themselves alone, and couples or individuals looking to increase their social sphere. We respect the individual’s right to privacy and operate on an inclusive basis where discrimination and racism are not acceptable. We have a small board of directors and other individuals who help organize our activities.