Call for Contributors

Call for Contributors Journal of Lesbian Studies
Deadline: November 30, 2012

The Journal of Lesbian Studies will be devoting a thematic journal issue to the topic of WHITE PRIVILEGE. There is little scholarship that focuses specifically on whiteness and white privilege in lesbian studies.

Possible topics to be considered include an examination of white privilege in:
-lesbian relationships
-lesbian communities
-intersections of white racial identities and lesbian identities
-representations of lesbians
-lesbian health
-feminist theory
-fiction -poetry

Please send a one-page abstract of your proposed contribution to adottolo (at) brandeis.edu by November 30, 2012.

Proposals will be evaluated for originality and writing style, as well as how all the contributions fit together. Potential authors will be invited to write full articles in the range of 10-15 double-spaced pages.

Profile of Older Americans: 2010

This annual summary of the latest statistics on the older population covers 15 topical areas including population, income and poverty, living arrangements, education, and health. A description of the highlights of this document can be found below.

The Profile has proven to be a very useful statistical summary in a user friendly format. It is a web based publication and will be posted shortly on the AoA web site.

Highlights - Profile of Older Americans: 2010

• The older population (65+) numbered 39.6 million in 2009, an increase of 4.3 million or 12.5% since 1999.
• The number of Americans aged 45-64-- who will reach 65 over the next two decades-- increased by 26% during this decade.
• Over one in every eight, or 12.9%, of the population is an older American.
• Persons reaching age 65 have an average life expectancy of an additional 18.6 years (19.9 years for females and 17.2 years for males).
• Older women outnumber older men at 22.7 million older women to 16.8 million older men.
• In 2009, 19.9% of persons 65+ were minorities--8.3% were African-Americans.** Persons of Hispanic origin (who may be of any race) represented 7.0% of the older population. About 3.4% were Asian or Pacific Islander,** and less than 1% were American Indian or Native Alaskan.** In addition, 0.6% of persons 65+ identified themselves as being of two or more races.
• Older men were much more likely to be married than older women--72% of men vs. 42% of women (Figure 2). 42% older women in 2009 were widows.
• About 30% (11.3 million) of noninstitutionalized older persons live alone (8.3 million women, 3.0 million men).
• Half of older women (49%) age 75+ live alone.
• About 475,000 grandparents aged 65 or more had the primary responsibility for their grandchildren who lived with them.
• The population 65 and over will increase from 35 million in 2000 to 40 million in 2010 (a 15% increase) and then to 55 million in 2020 (a 36% increase for that decade).
• The 85+ population is projected to increase from 4.2 million in 2000 to 5.7 million in 2010 (a 36% increase) and then to 6.6 million in 2020 (a 15% increase for that decade).
• Minority populations are projected to increase from 5.7 million in 2000 (16.3% of the elderly population) to 8.0 million in 2010 (20.1% of the elderly) and then to 12.9 million in 2020 (23.6% of the elderly).
• The median income of older persons in 2009 was $25,877 for males and $15,282 for females. Median money income (after adjusting for inflation) of all households headed by older people rose 5.8% (statistically significant) from 2008 to 2009. Households containing families headed by persons 65+ reported a median income in 2009 of $43,702.
• The major sources of income as reported by older persons in 2008 were Social Security (reported by 87% of older persons), income from assets (reported by 54%), private pensions (reported by 28%), government employee pensions (reported by 14%), and earnings (reported by 25%).
• Social Security constituted 90% or more of the income received by 34% of beneficiaries in 2008 (21% of married couples and 43% of non-married beneficiaries).
• Almost 3.4 million elderly persons (8.9%) were below the poverty level in 2009. This poverty rate is statistically different from the poverty rate in 2008 (9.7%).
• About 11% (3.7 million) of older Medicare enrollees received personal care from a paid or unpaid source in 1999.

Upcoming Conferences

With implications for public interest!

"Mental Health Care in America: Past, Present and Future."

The event will take place on Thursday, April 23 and Friday, April 24, 2009 at the University of Akron. To see the conference schedule and obtain registration information go to: http://www3.uakron.edu/ahap/news/mhc_conference_2009.phtml.

"The Ethics of Multiple Relationships and Boundary Issues"
and
"Ethical Considerations in a Multicultural World"

Held on April 17-18, 2009 at the Airport Marriott, Columbus. For more information or to register, go to: www.ohpsych.org/opaceworkshops.aspx . Register for both days and receive a discount!