Quoting Lauren Bacall

"I think your whole life shows in your face and you should be proud of that."

Lauren Bacall

photograph by Annie Leibowitz via

Rainbow Europe Map 2021

The Rainbow Map and Index are a benchmarking tool used since 2009 to illustrate the legal and policy situation of queer people in European countries. It ranks 49 European countries based on 71 criteria from the categories equality and non-discrimination, family, hate crime and hate speech, legal gender recognition and bodily integrity, civil society space, and asylum. While Malta occupies the number one spot on the Rainbow Europe Map for the sixth year in the row, Poland occupies the lowest ranking in the EU for the second year in a row (via).

According to a survey carried out by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, 19% in Poland say that LGBTQ prejudice and intolerance dropped in the last five years (vs 40% across the EU-28) whereas 68% say that they have risen (vs 36% for the EU-28). Not really surprisingly, only 4% in Poland believe that their government combats prejudice and intolerance aginst LGBTQ people (vs 33% for the EU-28) (via).

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photograph (taken in Wroclav in 1982) via

Climate Gerontology

Abstract: The global population is ageing at a time when climate variability is increasing. It is argued that if we are to minimize the negative impact of environmental change on older people, interdisciplinary study of the convergence of the two trends, "climate gerontology", is needed. 

Climate gerontology can examine the unique challenges and needs of older people in coping with extreme weather events. It can contribute to our understanding of the everyday challenges of growing old in a changing climate and how we can achieve the "longevity dividend". In particular, it can lead the way to the development of effective policies to reduce the carbon footprint of people during their life course, protect older people from climate-related threats and mobilize their wealth of knowledge and experience to address these. (Haq & Gutman, 2014).

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- Haq, G. & Gutman, G. (2014). Climate gerontology: meeting the challenge of population ageing and climate change. Zeitschrift für Gerontologie und Geriatrie, 47(6), 462-46.
- photograph by Tom Wood via

Sun Protective Behaviour & Gender

According to a study carried out in Austria, there are significant gender differences when it comes to sun protective behaviour and knowledge. Women achieve higher knowledge scores, show higher risk awareness and perform more sun protection while men tend to underestimate the dangers of sun exposure without protection and report more sunburns (Moshammer et al., 2015).



- Haluza, D., Moshammer, H., Kundi, M. & Cervinka, R. (2015). Public (skin) health perspectives of gender differences in tanning habits and sun protective behaviour: a cross-sectional questionnaire survey. Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift, 127(3-4), 124-131.
- photograph by Martin Parr Magnum Photos via

Climate Change and the Disproportionally Affected

While the impact of climate change on health in the general population has been investigated, there are comparably few studies on the impact it has on older people - despite the very fact that climate change disproportionally affects older people (Leyva et al., 2017).

Older people's mortality rate is significantly higher, mobility is reduced and susceptibility to social isolation and disease increased. Older people experience greater impacts from flood events and related diseases; higher mortality rates are due to drowning and secondary health impacts (e.g. heart problems,  restricted access to medicine).The same is true for typhoons and hurricanes, with the elderly being more likely to die because of mobility difficulties or lack of evacuation assistance (HelpAge, 2015). About half of the people who died during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, were 75 or older, during Hurricane Sandy in 2012, half of those who lost their lives were over 65 (via). 

Climate change also forces people to migrate and it is the older ones who often stay behind. Older people are also disproportionally affected by heat waves (HelpAge, 2015). The Chicago heatwave of 1995, for instance, caused 514 heat-related deaths, 72% of them were older than 65 (via).

The elderly are already affected by the impacts of climate change. Over the next decades, however, their vulnerability is set to increase (HelpAge, 2015).

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- HelpAge (2015). Climate change in an ageing world, link

- Leyva, E. W. A., Beaman, A. & Davidson, P. M. (2017). Health Impact of Climate Change in Older People: An Integrative Review and Implications for Nursing. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 49(6), 670-678.

- photograph by Martin Parr via 

More:

- For The Elderly, Climate Change Poses More Risks To Wellness, 2021, Forbes

- The forgotten generation: The elderly are most at risk of suffering climate change, The Independent

Kham. By Rinchen Ato.

"These photographs are an exploration of my heritage and the fast-evolving culture of the Khampa people. Over multiple trips, spanning the past two decades, I have documented family, friends and the struggles and celebrations of the wider community of Tibetan people living in Kham.

Deeply aware of the visual tropes used by foreign photographers, depicting Tibetans as 'foreign' or ‘other’, I hope that my work employs a sensibility which comes from my connection to the community, a community which, to me, is familiar."

Rinchen Ato

photographs by Rinchen Ato via 

I Shall Not Be Moved

It is not known who wrote the song and when, only that the lyrics stretch back to the slave era. It later became a song used for labour and civil rights movements, for resistance in general (via).

::: Ella Fitzgerald: I Shall Not Be Moved: LISTEN 

::: Johnny Cash: I Shall Not Be Moved: LISTEN

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Glory hallelujah, I shall not be moved 

Anchored in Jehovah, I shall not be moved 

Just like the tree that's planted by the waters 

I shall not be moved 

In His love abiding, I shall not be moved 

And in Him confiding, I shall not be moved 

Just like the tree that's planted by the water 

I shall not be moved  

I shall not be, I shall not be moved 

I shall not be, I shall not be moved 

Just like the tree that's planted by the waters 

I shall not be moved 

Though all Hell assail me, I shall not be moved 

Jesus will not fail me, I shall not be moved 

Just like the tree that's planted by the water 

I shall not be moved  

Though the tempest rages, I shall not be moved 

On the rock of ages, I shall not be moved 

Just like the tree that's planted by the water 

I shall not be moved 

I shall not be, I shall not be moved 

I shall not be, I shall not be moved 

Just like the tree that's planted by the water 

I shall not be moved 

I shall not be, I shall not be moved 

I shall not be, I shall not be moved 

Just like the tree that's planted by the water 

I shall not be moved  

lyrics via

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photographs of the amazing Ella Fitzgerald (Empire Room at Waldorf Astoria Hotel, N.Y., 30 March 1971, AP Photo/Ron Frehm) via and via 

Celebrating Eight Years. A Party "Werner Herzog Style".

'I like to party, if by "party" you mean sitting alone in a darkened room contemplating the futility of human existence.' 

Werner Herzog

An "interesting" year has passed. Many people suffered from the symptoms of the virus, many died, many got insane and turned to conspiracy theories ... the pandemic was launched by Asians, by gays, by the Jewish, by non-Christians, by foreigners, lizards are coming ... When beds become scarce, we are willing to sacrfice the old, the disabled as if it were the most natural thing and no discussion follows. Half of the people lost forever were in retirement homes. Surely more could have been done to prevent their deaths but societies couldn't care less. Because age is not part of the diversity discussion. And if people die in other countries, it is because these "others" don't have such an advanced health system as "we" do.

This pandemic surely showed us our approach to diversity, the bias there is, the prejudices, the discrimination. It showed us who has the power to at least turn something into a discussion and who doesn't. Let's celebrate, nevertheless, and hope that in autum we will be smarter. I wish you all the sunshine there is, health, happiness ... and would like to thank you, again, for (still) following this blog. Thank you and stay healthy!

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photograph (c) by MLM

Forced to Retire

Manuel Gräfe is planning to sue the German Football Association for age discrimination. When he turned 47 in the last season, he was no longer allowed to continue to work as a referee despite being in shape, good performances and enjoying his job. Gräfe points out that the German Football Associaton states to stand up for diversity and to fight racism and discrimination but is at the same time keeping up the age limit. 

In the Netherlands, the age limit was abolished about twenty years ago (via), FIFA announced to eliminate age limits for international referees in 2014 (via and via), the Scottish Football Association made the announcement in 2012 (via). 

"We have seen examples elsewhere of match officials maintaining standards beyond the previous cut-off of 47 and it will be a major benefit to us in Scotland." John Fleming, SFA's head of referee development

"The retirement age of a referee was 48 back in 2000, but today, luckily, we don't have an age limit." Mike Dean, Premier League referee

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photograph (PA Archive/Press Association Ima), 1963 via

LSD Abuse and Gender

Men are more likely to abuse LSD; higher drug use rates are found among males across all ages. According to a study carried out in the U.S. in 2010, the rate of lifetime psychodelic drug abuse was 22% among males and 12% among females. One reason mentioned in literature is that economic downturns and the associated feelings of hopelessness and frustration may lead to increases in substance abuse with men trying to find a way to escape after losing or leaving a job (via). For short-term and long-term effects see e.g. HERE.



photograph by Gil Rigoulet via