Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1024340
16 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 9 SEPTEMBER 2018 INTERVIEW As Malta's Gay community prepares for its annual Gay Pride March, a public 'Rosary Rally' is being organised to pray in 'reparation' for this 'sin'. It seems to illustrate that, for all the legislative changes in favour of gay rights, Malta is still not completely 'ready' to accept the new social realities. Could this be because the changes themselves came about too quickly... a case of 'too much, too soon'? There is clearly a reaction to the speed of the progression in terms of equality rights. From our end, I would tend to say 'about time'; but obviously, some people feel the change has been too sudden, and they feel threatened by it. It's understandable. Where I disa- gree with their branding/imaging, however, is that they used a pic- ture from another Pride parade, outside our shores, which was to- tally out of context. It showed two men in drag, posing very flam- boyantly as a bride and groom. So obviously the message was that Gay Pride is there to ridicule mar- riage and family life as we know it: which is totally not the case. That is what I was against. By all means, anyone can go and pray for gay people; they are welcome to do so. But it hurts me when they put that kind of image out there, distorting what Gay Pride is all about. Pride started out as, and remains to this day, a tool for social change. I know that the me- dia, and society in general, tends to focus more on the 'party' side of things; but that's just one side of the whole spectrum. Speak- ing for myself, when the first Gay Pride March took place in Malta [in 2004] – there were about 50 people at most – it was an affir- mation that 'I am not alone' in this country. Because when you're coming out, you think you're the only person who's gay. You feel totally clueless as to what you are, what you can identify with. Seeing that there is such a thing as a 'gay community' – even if, back then, it was very small – makes a big difference. I was 17 at the time; I stood in the background, not wanting to be part of the crowd. But at least it was the first indica- tion, to me, that I was not alone. That is why Gay Pride is so im- portant. Malta's Gay Pride March does tend to be less overtly flamboyant than elsewhere. In San Francisco, for instance – where it all started – it has a much more Carnivalesque flavour. Doesn't that aspect give rise to the perception (evidenced by the photo you mention) that the idea of a public parade is also partly to 'provoke' precisely such a reaction? I would say that the idea behind Gay Pride is not to flaunt one's sexuality; but then again, we're all sexual human beings – except, perhaps, a very small percentage that is asexual – and for that one day out of 365, the idea is to allow full creativity in the way people want to express themselves. Last year's Pride, for example, was the only time I wore super-short jeans, a torn tank-top... that's how I felt like going. Not because 'that's me'; but because the event gave me the space to be whoever I wanted to be for that one day. But yes, some people might be shocked... What would your message for such people be? Just leave other people express themselves. And Pride is the place to do that, because you are also surrounded by other people who can help you feel free enough to express yourself. It doesn't mean you're like that during the rest of the year. But it does give a sense of liberation, of freedom. And that's a good thing. Unfortunately, the media tends to focus too much on the overtly provocative im- ages, suggesting that Pride is too 'sexualised'. Even at our own pa- rade, there probably will be one float with some go-go dancers, or something similar. We're not associating with them, but at the same time we can't tell them 'no'. Gay party promoters are also part of the community, and they want to express themselves like every- one else. But they don't represent the whole community, either. I've said this before, in another con- text; but it would help if gay party promoters used more inclusive branding when promoting their parties – not just topless men full of muscles, all perfectly toned, etc. The community is much more diverse than that. People who do not assimilate with that image may feel left out; or, worse still, feel bad about themselves – or even unworthy of being in a re- lationship – because they don't attain that level of physique. As I said earlier, Pride is also a tool for social change: so let's bring out the different faces of the commu- nity... The first Malta Gay Pride was in 2004 – before the wave of legislative changes that we just spoke about. Does Pride still have the same resonance today, now that 'being gay' is much more culturally accepted than it ever used to be? The way I see it, as soon as we stop marching – even if we have the right to, and even if our legis- lation is at a very advanced stage – we will be trampled over. It's a huge gut feeling that I have. All it would take is one influential per- son in a government position – like what's happening in America today – and people might support measures that would roll back all the advances we have worked so hard to achieve for all these years. You can never take rights for granted. Never. Does that sort of concern exist in the broader gay community? I don't think everyone realises the danger. But when you're in- volved in promoting rights at an activism level, you will obviously take it into consideration. See- ing how even such an advanced country as America can so easily regress, just because one person changed the whole narrative, really puts it into perspective. That's how easy it is: one influ- ential person getting elected to power; and he doesn't even have to change laws or enact any new legislation. Even a change in atti- tude or outlook can have serious ripple effects. It can change the sort of services that are provided through healthcare, for example, or have other effects on your day- day life. It can effectively change the whole landscape. Speaking of services and the outlook in general: Malta has introduced a lot of equality laws and policies on paper; but is there a level of prejudice that continues to affect those factors here? No, in general I wouldn't say there is. I live my life quite openly, and I can't say I've had any nega- tive experiences in that sense, or been actively discriminated Malta has advanced in leaps and bounds when it comes to equality legislation; but CLAYTON MERCIECA, community manager at Allied Rainbow Communities (ARC), argues there are still areas where we lag behind When you're coming out, you think you're the only person who's gay. You feel totally clueless as to what you are, what you can identify with. Seeing that there is such a thing as a 'gay community' makes a big difference Raphael Vassallo rvassallo@mediatoday.com.mt 'Pride' is a tool for social change