Negating identity: A feminist analysis of the social invisibility of olderlesbians

Older lesbians are invisible both within and outside of the lesbian communi ty. Using a postmodern and lesbian feminist approach, in this article we id entify a paradox in our society which defines lesbians in terms of their se xuality while older women are generally viewed as asexual. We suggest that this paradox contributes to the invisibility of older lesbians. Our focus i s on the interactive nature of the relationship between personal and public constructions of lesbianism in the lives of older women. Finally, we discu ss the potential impact of invisibility on self-identity, and using a femin ist gerontological frame work suggest implications for the empowerment of o lder lesbians.