Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1514428
11 NEWS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 14 JANUARY 2024 JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt SCHOOL lessons and educa- tional material should include information about multiple sexual identities, including be- ing transgender, according to 77% of Maltese respondents in- terviewed in a Eurobarometer survey on discrimination. The Maltese are the sixth most likely in Europe to agree with this statement after the Swedes (90%), the Danes (86%), The Dutch (83%) and the Span- ish (79%). In contrast only 30% of Romanians and 34% of Bul- garians agree. The vast majority of Maltese (78%) also agree that school lessons should include infor- mation about sexual orienta- tion, for example about being gay, lesbian or bisexual. Students in public schools in Malta are taught about differ- ent sexual orientation and fam- ilies during Personal and Social Development (PSD) lessons, which also cover other themes like responsible behaviour in sexuality. But the results of the survey contrast with the outrage ex- pressed by conservative activ- ists and parents who had ex- pressed concern over a Żigużajg performance and workshop on gender fluidity, aimed at chil- dren aged eight to 10. Similar concerns about the exposure of children to trans- gender people were expressed following a EuroPride 2023 event called Dancing With Pride, after a blurry photo tak- en from behind the stage fea- turing drag artist Olivia Lilith made the rounds on social me- dia. 65% of Maltese agree that transgender people should have the same rights as anyone else with regards to marriage, adoption and parental rights while 74% agree that same-sex marriage should be legal in the whole EU. Compared to 2019, the per- centage of those who think that 'there is nothing wrong in a sexual relation between per- sons of the same sex' has in- creased from 73% to 78%. But the survey also suggests that the Maltese still think of sexual identities in binary terms, with 51% disagreeing with an 'X' option on official documents for persons who do not identify themselves as male or female. Significantly 44% would not feel comforta- ble with their children being in a love relationship with a trans- gender or intersex person. More open to transgender presidency than to transgen- der in-laws The Maltese are more com- fortable than other Europeans with a trangender person be- ing elected to the highest po- litical office. While 22% of all EU citizens are uncomfortable with this, only 13% of Maltese are uncomfortable with having a transgender politician in the highest office. But 44% of Maltese respond- ents replied that they would feel uncomfortable if their children were in a relationship with a transgender or intersex person. In contrast only 34% of respondents in all other EU member states. 4 in 10 uncomfortable with a Muslim in-law The survey also shows that the Maltese are more likely than most other Europeans to feel uncomfortable with their children being in relationship with a Muslim (43%), a black person (31%), Jews (27%) and Asians (26%). And 26% of Maltese – com- pared to 12% of all EU citizens – would feel uncomfortable having a person with a skin colour different from that of the majority of the population, being elected to the highest office. The same percentage would feel uncomfortable with someone who does not sub- scribe to Roman Catholicism being elected to the highest of- fice. The survey also suggests that the Maltese tend to be more in- tolerant of atheists than other Europeans. While in the whole of Europe only 9% would feel uncomfort- able with their children dating an atheist, the percentage in- creases to a staggering 26% in Malta. Educate us: 77% agree with school lessons about transgender identity Eurobarometer survey however shows 44% would feel uncomfortable with their son or daughter dating a transgender or intersex person Would feel 'uncomfortable' with having these people in the highest political office: Would feel 'uncomfortable' with children dating people from these categories