Fabulous: Julie Peters explores LGBTQI+ safe spaces for seniors

Many live in fear of prejudice from fellow residents, if not the providers themselves.

So where can ageing members of the community turn to in order to feel safe and secure?

Trans woman Julie Peters has been asking herself that ever since she helped her mother transition to aged care 20 years ago.

"The emotional me doesn't want to age at all... the logical me understands I could catch something or have a fall next week and need high care a lot sooner than you'd think," she said.

Julie - who is now in her 70s - said while a lot of retirement villages and aged care homes were becoming more progressive, for many queer people, the fear of encountering prejudice was deeply ingrained - especially in organisations that were faith based.

"I was brought up a Catholic and would have assumed I wouldn't be welcome, even if they said you are welcome, because of those experiences growing up," she said.

About a year ago, Julie had a conversation with longtime friend and former colleague Tracey Spring - a producer for ABC program COMPASS. The pair decided to investigate LGBTQI+ options that were available.

Their quest took them to Stockholm Sweden, where they gained a first hand insight into LGBTQI+ housing project Regnbagen (Rainbow).

Regnbagen struck a deal with a Stockholm Council owned property managing company in 2012. Queer people currently occupy the top three floors of an eight story building - part of a three building housing complex for people aged 55 and older.

Tenants enjoy access to a roomy common area, as well as on site facilities such as a hairdresser, foot therapist, primary health clinic, restaurant, gym and auditorium.

During her visit, Julie treated residents to a slightly modified version of her new cabaret show Mutton is the New Lamb. Audiences were also treated to a duo of drag queens performing a classic ABBA hit as a curtain raiser.

Sweden is regarded as one of the most progressive countries in the world when it comes to LGBTQI+ issues. The country legalised same sex sexual activity in 1944, became the first nation to legalise gender transitions in 1972, and the seventh country to legalise same sex marriage in 2009.

Closer to home in the outskirts of Melbourne, is a housing development in which 60 per cent of residents are queer.

While the development - which requested not to be identified - lacks the on site facilities of its Stockholm counterpart, it is located a close walk from shops and amenities. It also has on site mobility scooter parking, and is NDIS friendly.

But what about those who need a higher level of care? Located in Daylesford is Hepburn House.

The facility allows queer people to live with other members of the ageing community in a safe space in which they are surrounded by allies. Its single rooms are equipped with connecting doors so residents can share space with loved ones.

Julie said visiting all three facilities had made her feel more secure in the knowledge there were options out there that would allow her to continue to be herself as she aged.

"Depending on where I am with my health, I would feel very comfortable in all three," she said.

Learn more about Julie's experience by watching COMPASS. The episode will air at 6.30pm, April 21 on ABCTV and is available any time on iview. There will be an encore screening at 11am on April 28.

"In the late 80s, it (the idea of transitioning) was starting to really obsess me," Julie recalled.

"Every spare moment when I wasn't at work, I was relating to the world as a woman. I just fit in better as a woman than as a man."

In 1990 she decided to come out to her colleagues at the ABC.

"I remember going to the head of HR, and she looked at me very blankly and said, 'what do you think I should do?'"

"There were some people who were very stressed by it (the transition), others were very protective of me."

Julie Peters worked at the national broadcaster for half a century and is considered a trailblazer for the LGBTQI+ community.