Taboo-breaking photo series celebrates the joy of later-in-life sex

Older people are often excluded from narratives about sex and intimacy.

A new photography campaign is celebrating the beauty of sex in our later years and aiming to dismantle the stigma around talking about it after a certain age.

Five older couples were photographed by world-renowned British photographer Rankin for the campaign, called Let's Talk The Joy of Later Life Sex. It aims to tackle the stigma surrounding talking about sex and intimacy for people over the age of 60, and to challenge the idea that older people can't and wouldn't want to have sex.

The campaign, which launched on Sunday in the UK, was created by relationships charity Relate alongside advertising and marketing agency Ogilvy.

Two thirds of polled over-65s say sex and intimacy for their age group is rarely or never represented in the media. Only one fifth of people in the UK think society is comfortable talking about the sex lives of people over 60, and fewer than 10 percent of over-65s think society is OK with it. Additionally, 60 percent of people over 65 aren't comfortable opening up to other people about sex and intimacy, the embarrassment cited as the top reason.

Lynn and George. Credit: rankin

As Relate sex therapist, Gail Thorne, said in a statement, "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," Thorne added.

Chrissie and Roger. Credit: rankin

Thorne added that Relate is trying to open up a societal conversation about the fact that sex and intimacy, in alls its forms, "can be as important for older people as it is for anyone else."

It's worth noting that sex and intimacy mean different things to different people, and not everyone experiences sexual attraction.

Rankin, who worked on the campaign pro-bono, said in a statement that "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," Rankin added. "This campaign sets out to break convention, and that’s what it did, both before and behind the camera."

Credit: rankin

The couples were photographed in a comfortable and collaborative closed set environment, according to Relate, and an intimacy coach worked with the couples to help them feel in control during the shoot.

The photos will now be displayed around the UK in advertising space that's been donated for free.