Impact case study database
Changing hearts and minds: How the stories of older LGBT people are changing attitudes, education and care
1. Summary of the impact
There is a concerning trend of loneliness, isolation and an increased risk of suicide among older gay men and lesbians. Older minority sexual groups have been overlooked within ageing research and are grossly under-represented in mainstream policy and practice. This is particularly problematic in health and social care provision, which provides essential services as people age.
The work of Dr Kip Jones, Professor Lee-Ann Fenge, Dr Rosie Read and Dr Marilyn Cash
sought to transform frontline services for this under-represented group. Their work has increased awareness and encouraged inclusivity, therefore enabling better equipped service provision for older minority sexual groups. This contributes to an improved overall quality of life for LGBT individuals. The work has made a significant contribution towards an inclusive and prejudice-free society.
2. Underpinning research
‘The Gay and Grey’ Project (2003-2006), funded by The National Lottery Community Fund (GBP175,000 in total, GBP17,803 awarded to Bournemouth University (BU)), unveiled common themes of participants experiencing issues with personal identity, isolation and exclusion, and highlighted that accessible public services could help [R1].
Two issues were left unresolved: a lack of participation from rural residents and limited biographic understanding of participants’ lives.
‘The Gay and Pleasant Land’ project (2008-2012) funded by Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) (GBP1,066,468 in total, GBP40,187 awarded to BU), aimed to bridge these gaps. It was part of the national ‘New Dynamics of Ageing’ programme, funded by five UK research councils. BU’s Dr Kip Jones led the project, supported by BU’s Professor Fenge, Dr Read and Dr Cash.
This team set out to understand how older gay men and lesbians in rural areas interacted with their local communities. They considered socio-economic and cultural effects and differing attitudes towards sexuality and ageing.
An advisory committee of older gay people and service providers informed the research direction and helped identify sample participants.
The methodology [R2], [R3] included participatory research methods: Biographic narrative interpretive method, a visual ethnographic method, and an overarching participatory methodology.
The findings showed [R4]:
There is a lifelong impact on gay men who grew up whilst homosexuality was illegal (up to 1967).
Gay men and lesbians face challenges feeling accepted, due to prejudice prevalent in rural communities. They exercised extreme caution about when they ‘came out’ and to whom, if at all.
Participants reported difficulties negotiating with service providers.
Fear and loneliness punctuate the lives of some older gay citizens. They recounted homophobia and heterosexism, which is prejudice by assumption that heterosexuality is the normal sexual orientation.
The risk of suicide was prevalent among older gay men.
These biographic insights formed the basis for characters created by Dr Kip Jones for a professionally made and internationally acclaimed short film called RUFUS STONE [R5, R6]. The film, written and executively produced by Dr Jones, was Directed by Josh Appignanesi and produced by Cecilia Frugiuele at Parkville Pictures in London. This innovative arts-based research project uses film to tell the heart-wrenching tale of two young boys whose growing feelings for each other spark anger and rejection within their 1950s rural community. In a dual timeline narrative, we see the same boys reunited fifty years later. One character has never revealed his sexuality and tragically commits suicide when he thinks his secret is out.
Alongside this, Professor Fenge used participatory methods to work with a group of older LGBT people to produce a ‘Methods to Diversity’ card deck (funded by Big Lottery GBP7,777) for care agencies and service providers. The colourful playing cards have exercises and activities which prompt staff towards inclusive practice and to consider the diversity of the ageing population.
R7 describes how the film and Method Deck were shared with service providers, enabling opportunities to learn and critically reflect upon an informed practice.
3. References to the research
R1, R2, R3, R4, R6 & R7 have been rigorously peer-reviewed.
R1 Fenge, L., (2010). Striving towards Inclusive Research: An Example of Participatory Action Research with Older Lesbians and Gay Men. British Journal of Social Work, 40(3), pp.878–894. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcn144.
R2 Fenge, L. Jones, K., (2012). Gay and Pleasant Land? Exploring Sexuality, Ageing and Rurality in a Multi-Method, Performative Project. The British Journal of Social Work, 42(2), pp.300– 317. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcr058
R3 Fenge, L., Jones, K. and Read, R., (2010). Connecting participatory methods in a study of older lesbian and gay citizens in rural areas. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 9(4), pp.320-333. doi: 10.1177/160940691000900402
R4 Jones, K., Fenge, L., Read, R. and Cash, M., (2013). Collecting Older Lesbians’ and Gay Men’s Stories of Rural Life in South West England and Wales: ‘We Were Obviously Gay Girls ... (So) He Removed His Cow from Our Field’. Forum : Qualitative Social Research, 14(2). http://dx.doi.org/10.17169/fqs-14.2.1919
R5 Jones, K., (2011) (Author, Executive Producer) RUFUS STONE the movie. Parkville Pictures: London. Available from: https://vimeo.com/109360805
R6 Jones, K. (2013) Infusing biography with the personal: writing RUFUS STONE. Creative Approaches to Research, 6(2), pp.6–23. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/268811617_Infusing_Biography_with_the_Personal_Writing_ Rufus_Stone
R7 Fenge, L., Jones, K. and Gibson, C., (2018). Meaningful dissemination produces the “long tail” that engenders community impact. Qualitative Research Journal, 18(1), pp.45- 54. https://doi.org/10.1108/QRJ-D-17-00037
4. Details of the impact
As screenings of the film took place around the world in community cinemas, universities and festivals, the film’s popularity snowballed. It attracted attention both for its brilliance as a film and the tragic lesson it teaches. It featured in a New York Times article from 2011, which continued to drive new audiences to the film throughout the impact period.
International accolades include the Youth Jury Award for best LGBT film at Rhode Island International Film Festival 2013 [E1] and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) 2015 Research in Film Anniversary Prize shortlist [E2].
RUFUS STONE delivered on its aim of prompting discussion around sexuality and marginalisation, whilst ultimately changing attitudes, as demonstrated by its effects in teaching. In June 2019 student-teachers from post-Soviet Kazakhstan were shocked, then transfixed by the struggles the characters faced. A student at Nazarbayev University said: “I (will) show this film in my own class. Youth should understand and realise that some existing values are remnants of the older generation and upholding these values will not bring harmony because the world is changing.” [E3].
The film was shared online in 2016 and by December 2020 had been viewed over 17,800 times across 73 countries [E4].
RUFUS STONE is used in teaching at several universities throughout the world. A 2019 screening and question and answer session at the University of Manchester led to its inclusion in an undergraduate sociology module, equipping future generations to tackle this societal concern head on [E5a]. A lecturer at Brighton University describes the film as “inspirational and impactful for students” and a “landmark/foundation stone” in the field of arts-based research. [E5b]
In 2016 it was added to the syllabus at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Istanbul Yeni Yuzyil University and School of Communication and Media Studies in Lisbon, Portugal, where an Assistant Professor found it an excellent example for inspiring personal creativity [E6].
The film undoubtedly changed attitudes across a wide audience. Combined with the Method Deck, the two resources targeted a specific group of users who provide care for older people from minority sexual groups.
Hampshire County Council have used the film and Method Deck since 2014 in training sessions with Adult Services staff: Police, fire service, residential care staff, operational managers and more [E7a]. The Equality and Inclusion Manager in Adults’ Health and Care at the time says: “The film and method deck are powerful tools which have effected changes in attitudes and awareness amongst council staff”. Some colleagues identified with the film from black and ethnic perspectives, showing its universal message of inclusivity. In 2018 the council conducted a staff inclusion and diversity survey and had over 5,000 employees respond. The results indicated that “the County Council has a supportive and inclusive culture” [E7b]. The Equality and Inclusion Manager believes that the training using the film and method deck “paved the way to an improvement in attitudes towards inclusion and diversity more generally amongst council staff.” The Hampshire team also say RUFUS STONE and the Method Deck indirectly inspired the county’s first Gay Pride.
For many years, charity Help and Care UK provided ‘wayfinder’ staff for the Partnerships for Older People Programme (POPP). Wayfinders signposted older people to information and services. They watched RUFUS STONE in 2014 and it challenged attitudes and perceptions. There were some difficult conversations with members of the POPP board who said they held ‘traditional values’ around homosexuality. The Method Deck was used in individual meetings and a greater awareness was reached [E8]. In fact, a 2016 wayfinders briefing document includes ‘freedom from discrimination’ on grounds of sexuality as an area wayfinders support [E9]. POPP has since been replaced with an updated programme.
The Alzheimer’s Society has used the film since August 2013 to improve local and regional teams’ understanding of LGBT issues. This led to a more accessible and empathic service, confirmed by the Organisational Development Manager at the time: “There is no question that RUFUS STONE was a catalyst for change. It was a very different approach to the issues, raw and real so made us think outside the box” [E10].
5. Sources to corroborate the impact
E1: Film-festival.org (2013) Flickers Youth Jury Program. [online] Available at: http://www.film-festival.org/YouthJuryProgram2013.php [Accessed 4 November 2020].
E2: Ahrc.ukri.org. 2015 (2015) Winners - Arts And Humanities Research Council. [online] Available at: https://ahrc.ukri.org/innovation/research-in-film-awards/previous-winners/2015-winners/ [Accessed 4 November 2020].
E3: Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan (2019) Testimonial letter.
E4: Jones, K., 2015. RUFUS STONE. [online] Vimeo. Available at: https://vimeo.com/109360805 [Accessed 4 November 2020].
E5a: Morgan Centre for Research into Everyday Lives, University of Manchester UK (2020) Testimonial letter.
E5b: University of Brighton (2020) Testimonial letter.
E6: Turkey, Faculty of Fine Arts, Instanbul Yeni Yuzyil University; School of Communication and Media Studies, Lisbon Portugal (2019). Testimonial letter.
E7a: Hampshire County Council UK, Strategic Equality and Inclusion Manager (2020) Testimonial letter.
E7b: Hampshire County Council, 2019. Serving Hampshire 2019/2019 Report.
E8: Help and Care UK, Bournemouth (2020) Testimonial letter.
E9: Cerneabbassurgery.co.uk (2016) Dorset Partnership for Older People Programme (POPP) POPP Wayfinders. [online] Available at: https://www.cerneabbassurgery.co.uk/files/2016/08/What-Wayfinders-Can-Help-With.pdf [Accessed 4 March 2020].
E10: The Alzheimer’s Society, Learning and Talent Development (2013, 2020) Testimonial emails.
Additional contextual information
Grant funding
Grant number | Value of grant |
---|---|
1 | £40,187 |
2 | £7,777 |