Relate campaign shows 'joy of sex in later life' with intimate images of older people

Relationships charity Relate has teamed up with renowned photographer Rankin and produced a series of images showing what intimacy and sex can mean in later life.

The campaign Let’s Talk the Joy of Later Life Sex comprises photographs of five older couples and one woman and aims to tackle the stigma around sex in later life.

It explores everything from long-term love to new adventures, tender intimacy to the more risqué.

Relate sex therapist, Gail Thorne, said: "It may seem as though it's only young people with 'perfect' bodies having sex and being intimate but of course this isn't true! In reality, 'sex and intimacy in later life' means different things to different people: for some it's about exploring new and different sexual experiences, and for others it's simply about feeling able to express emotion through a gentle touch or kiss on the cheek.

"What we're trying to do today is open up a society-wide conversation about the fact that sex and intimacy - whatever that might mean - can be as important for older people as it is for anyone else. We see every day in our Sex Therapy services how not feeling able to talk openly about needs and desires can lead to a lack of fulfilment and be damaging for individuals' self-confidence and couples' relationships. This is what we want to change."

According to a poll undertaken by 3Gem market research, the majority (60 per cent) of people aged over 65 aren’t comfortable talking openly to anyone about sex and intimacy, citing embarrassment as the top reason at 66 per cent.

This was followed by, ‘it just wasn’t talked about when I was younger’ (64 per cent), not wanting to make others uncomfortable (63 per cent), not knowing when to bring it up (58 per cent) and lack of confidence (57 per cent).

The series of images feature a whole range of older people, from Andrew and Mark who have been together for 31 years, to Chrissie who has had a double mastectomy and her partner Roger, to Daphne and Arthur who still hold hands when they walk. The people featured are of varying ethnicities, sizes, shapes and sexualities, aiming to show that we can all feel empowered to think and talk about sex and intimacy as we grow older.

They were photographed in a comfortable and collaborative closed set environment, with an intimacy coach working closely with them.

Photographer Rankin said: “The simple fact is that we all need intimacy now more than ever – and age, of course, really is just a number. The greatness of love and affection – the very things we can’t stop writing books, films, and pop songs about – doesn’t need to change as we find our later years. This campaign sets out to break convention, and that’s what it did, both before and behind the camera.”

If you are facing difficulties in your relationships, looking to strengthen your relationships, or want help thinking things through, visit relate.org.uk to find out about the services available which include Sex Therapy and counselling for couples, individuals and families.

The campaign was conceived by advertising and marketing agency, Ogilvy, after seeing advertising failing to represent older generational intimacy.