The Space Between: Navigating Dementia Care as a Trans/Nonbinary Elder in a Polarized World

At 70+ years old, I live with early-onset dementia-a journey marked by both profound loss and a fierce determination to preserve my identity. As a trans/nonbinary person, my diagnosis carries a unique weight: the relentless search for safe, affirming medical and dementia care in systems that are increasingly shaped by anti-gender ideologies and heteronormativity. This is not merely a personal fight for dignity, but a broader call to action at a time when extreme right-wing political currents are taking hold across the USA, Canada, Europe, and beyond, erasing the hard-won rights and visibility of trans and nonbinary people. In this presentation, I will share my lived experience navigating care settings where my gender identity is often misunderstood, ignored, or erased. I will explore the challenges of finding inclusive palliative and dementia care-places where I am seen, respected, and where my queerness is celebrated to the very end of my life. I will speak to the fear that lingers for so many of us: the risk of being forced back into closets we fought to escape, surrounded by caregivers who may view our identities as an inconvenience or as something to correct. I will also highlight the urgent need for intersectional, LGBTQI+-affirming dementia care models that center the voices of trans/nonbinary elders, particularly as our communities face increasing hostility. This work is not theoretical; it is survival. As more of us age into care systems ill-prepared to meet our needs, the stakes could not be higher. Through this deeply personal narrative, Daithi aims to offer hope, provoke reflection, and inspire action. Dementia care must be a safe place for all-inclusive, affirming, and free from the corrosive influence of anti-gender ideologies. My journey is a testament to resilience and a plea to care professionals, researchers, and policymakers: do not erase us. Instead, work alongside us to create spaces where all identities can thrive, even as memory fades. Key themes: LGBTQI+ inclusion in dementia care, trans/nonbinary lived experience, intersectionality, palliative care, and combating anti-gender ideologies.