The struggle for homo-emancipation/acceptation isn’t a modern phenomenon. The elderly in the care- and retirement homes had a hard time fighting for equal rights and acceptance.
Being forced to live with various people from their generation makes some pink elderly go back into the closet, because still some people of their generation do not accept them for who they are. Keep in mind that only since 1973 homosexuality is removed as a mental disorder from the DSM (book: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders).
The transition to personal freedom and acceptance is still a lenghty process, especially outside the big cities. Besides the inhabitants of the elderlyhomes also the caretakers have to take part in this. Since a while this problem has been recognised and at some locations there are “pink living areas” created, where residents do not have to hide their personality or have to struggle with narrow-mindedness, pestering and gossip.
To support the pink elderly who fought the struggle against homophobia and transphobia in earlier days 5 known Amsterdam dragqueens put up a show to perform in these elderly homes. The show is called “Moeders on Tour”, where Moeders is the name for the mother (Victoria false) who is forced by her 4 daughters,(Donnatella Vergatsie, Amy Huiswijn, Rachèl Beaujolie and Charité la Bustier) to go and have a look in the elderly homes to see if they have an acceptable place for her.
The aim of the show is to express their sincere appreciation and hearten the people who paved the way and therefore made their coming out a bit easier.
The show is full of love, laughter, songs and singalongs and even though people and organisations are a bit hesitant at first, the strong emotional involvement of Moeders and her daughters opens hearts and minds and makes it possible for the inhabitants and workers to start to think and talk about this sensitive issue. This professional show was held in different Amsterdam elderly/care homes during the Prideweek of 2016 and 2017.