Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/296073
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 16 APRIL 2014 3 MALTA has become the first Euro- pean state to have gender identity in its constitution following the pro- posed amendment that was approved yesterday evening in parliament. The news has reached foreign shores and Transgender Europe (TGEU) was among the first NGOs to laud Malta for including gender identity as a protected ground in its highest legal text. On Monday evening, parliament also introduced civil unions giving same-sex and different-sex couples nearly the same rights as married couples. Transgender persons who have changed their legal gender are now also able to enter into a mar- riage. "These are fantastic news. It has been a long way for Malta, and we congratulate the activists who have fought over all the years for the rec- ognition and protection of transgen- der people," TGEU Executive Direc- tor Julia Ehrt said. According to TGEU policy officer Richard Köhler, the constitutional amendment is also a signal for other countries to uplift transgender iden- tities out of the shadows of prejudice and misconception. "Countries must say loud and clear: we stand proudly by our transgender population. We need more trans champions like Malta," Köhler said. The parliamentarians also strengthened the anti-discrimina- tion law to better protect transgen- der persons against discrimination. A proposal for gender recognition procedures is currently under prepa- ration, which, according to Maltese activists, will be modeled after the Argentinean Gender Identity Act. "We urge the Maltese lawmakers now to live up to the high expecta- tions and come up with the best law possible. Transgender persons, who have been so long the odd ones, out deserve quick, transparent and ac- cessible procedures to have their identities recognized." Köhler add- ed. Opposition MP Claudette Butti- gieg, through a private member's bill, called for sexual orientation to be listed as a protected ground. The government went on to propose that gender identity should also be named in the constitution. All government and opposition MPs voted in favour of the words "sexual orientation" to be added to Article 32 and 45 of the Constitu- tion, which list the fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals which are protected by the state. The Opposition however abstained on the civil unions' bill because of the reservations it had on gay adop- tions. News Wedding bells for Manuel and Steve Following Monday's vote in Parliament in favour of same sex civil unions, FREDERICK ATTARD meets Steve Aquilina, Director of Aceline Entertainment Ltd, who can now finally marry the man of his dreams, Manuel Xuereb – singer and celebrity chef ASKED for his reaction to parlia- ment granting civil union rights to gay people, Steve Aquilina expresses his undeniable enthusiasm, since the move means he can now freely marry Manuel Xuereb, his partner of 15 years. But he's also disappointed that the Nationalist Opposition opted to abstain from voting on the bill, even saying that people within the PN with whom he had been in contact with expressed their regret at the party's decision. While reminding me that there was never any doubt about his predomi- nantly 'blue' political inclinations, during the 2013 pre-electoral cam- paign he made a conscious decision to give Labour a chance, owing chief- ly to their stance on same-sex civil unions. Now that the bill has been passed, he feels as though his aspira- tions in life can truly be fulfilled. "I have been truly blessed to have met someone like Manuel. He means the world to me. We've had our ups and downs like everybody else but the love we share is something that I treasure immensely," Steve says. Apart from being romantic partners, Manuel and Steve also run a business together, doing their best to balance work, family and friends. Steve describes himself as a private person who is not particularly given to broadcasting his sexual orienta- tion to all and sundry. "With Manuel being in the media spotlight, everyone knows of his re- lationship with me, but I would nev- er deny what my orientation is if I am asked," Steve says. He also confesses that his life has not always been easy due to his sexu- al orientation, recalling how a former employer – in the tourism sector – was so vehemently homophobic that he drove Steve away from the job as he suffered a number of injustices owing to this prejudice; while even neighbours, he says, can sometimes be very intolerant of the idea of two men cohabiting next door to them. Steve also speaks about his recent trip to Paris with Manuel – which the pair initially undertook to allevi- ate stress after Steve discovered he had a small lump in his lungs during a yearly medical check-up. Determined not to sully his holiday with bad news, Steve insisted that his doctors not tell him the results of the CT scan until after he returned from Paris. The pair went on to enjoy their "most expensive holiday ever", which was wonderfully bookended by Manuel's marriage proposal. "We went to lunch at the Michelin- star restaurant Jules Verne – on the Eiffel Tower – and it was at that mo- ment that Manuel proposed to me," Steve recalls, with tears in his eyes. "Without a doubt, I said yes!" Knowing that the present govern- ment will be moving forward with the civil unions bill, the pair quickly began their preparations for the big day. Steve and Manuel will be tying the knot on 5 September at Palazzo Castelletti in Rabat, during an inti- mate ceremony attended by around 50 people, consisting of family and a few very close friends. "It will be an elegant, vintage-style wedding, and it's all in the hands of Manuel… al- though I'll be kept in the loop," Steve says with a smile. Asked whether starting a family is a priority for him, Steve replies in the affirmative, adding that it's some- thing he'll be seeing to with Manuel once the time is right. And much to Steve's relief – and that of his loved ones – his medical results revealed him to be in the all- clear… giving further cause for cel- ebration. fattard@mediatoday.com.mt Malta with first Constitution in Europe to include gender identity Manuel Xuereb (left) and Steve Aquilina will be getting married on 5 September of this year