Europe’s first LGBT retirement home, a most 80s apartment block Stockholm, giv gay people a iendly place which to grow old. It’s the start of a growg trend, disvers <strong>Eleanor Margolis</strong>
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THE ONLY GAY (RETIREMENT HOME) THE VILLAGE
Before Lydia, no lbian, gay, bisexual, or transgenr pensner the UK had ever stepped to a hog scheme signed to look after them. Below, vast railway l brg people to Waterloo statn om the so-lled home unti – a trip that endls young gay people have ma to pe. ”Lydia grew up around here the 1950s, before gentrifitn sent hoe pric to orb, and before the partial crimalisatn of homosexualy 1967.
“I still have that ticket, ” he built a life together, survived the Aids crisis – while losg numero iends – and wnsed dramatic attudal shifts towards homosexualy. Adam* said was dangero to e out as gay his home untry and feared beg forced to an arranged marriage wh a said he was "so lucky" to wed his soulmate, Ray, Manchter and wish everyone uld marry who they love. There are more than 60 untri wh laws that crimalise same-sex sexual acts acrdg to the Internatnal Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Associatn, cludg Sdi Arabia.
'Authentilly myself'Ray said he had also stggled growg up gay the 1970s and 80s England, which was "tough" said his relig school "dmmed to you, 'you are gog to hell'" Adam returned home to Sdi Arabia, spe beg more than 3, 000 apart and later rtricted by the Covid-19 panmic, they kept touch daily and the romance years ago, Ray proposed on a vio ll and after succsfully applyg for a UK fiancé visa, Adam moved to Manchter December 2022. Adam said he had been aaid to even wear lours his home untry so the first thg he did when he moved was start to "grow my mullet, got my ears pierced and booked appotments for tattoos" relled how, ntrast, one of his gay iends Sdi had been forced to marry a woman, addg: "It has ed not only his life but the life of his wife.