The first-ever Queensland LGBTQI Seniors Awards, Visible and Celebrated will honour community elders during Seniors Week.

The Visible and Celebrated LGBTQI Seniors Awards are sponsored by the Queensland AIDS Council and aim to recognise the talents, contributions and generosity of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex seniors.

The awards are open to current Queensland LGBTI senior residents aged 60 and over. Nominations for twelve broad categories are now open. Performing arts, lifelong learning and mentoring activism, health and well-being are some of the diverse categories. A unique category for contributions to regional and rural life is also included, recognising that LGBTI seniors live in both urban and rural communities.

Gai Lemon, Director of Healthy Communities Programs at QuAC said, “For too long, many of our elders needed to ensure their lives were invisible, just to keep their job and sometimes, their lives. The time has come for all of us, regardless of our age, to take pride in the social, cultural, and civic achievements of our senior community members.”

Nominations for the awards close on July 26th and there is no limit to the number of nominations one person can make. Helen Daintree, Health Promotion Officer for the Ageing in Diversity Project encourages people to nominate broadly and often.

The Visible and Celebrated awards will be announced during Queensland Seniors Week, at QuAC’s 30th Anniversary High Tea held on August 24th from 1.30 pm. Recipients will be presented with their award at the closest LGBTI Senior’s Expo. The Expos, an event unto themselves, will be conducted in Brisbane, Cairns and Townsville, and on the Gold and Sunshine Coasts in the coming months, showcasing a diverse array of services, activities and information relevant to our elders.