The Slate published the following article:
Gay aging: Study says internalized gay ageism affects gay men as they get older.
Frankly, I fail to see any significant difference between aging when it comes to str8 and gay men, despite the frequently touted (in UK terms) gay guys' obsession with the ideals of youth.
Say, you are in your late 50's, early 60's. You want to date in your peer group. Str8 or gay, no one will find this particularly difficult, traumatic, or even worth mentioning.
Now, the same person of any sex in their 50's or 60's wants to date someone in their 20's? Well, this is may get a bit complicated, costly, and, yeah, people will talk... Gay or str8. It is pretty naive to believe that a gorgeous looking 23 year old girl/boy will go for someone in his late 50's or early 60's without ANY reason. At times, the reason is financial security, much better lifestyle, expensive gifts, and foreign travel, to mention the few. At times, the younger person is looking for a daddy figure, regardless of the sexual orientation of the players involved.
And, more often than not, life does not bend itself to please these pigeon-hole kinds of classifications: it is a mix of many things, including money, privilege, networks, daddy-syndrome, breaking the glass ceiling, etc.
KD