Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/494410
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 12 APRIL 2015 News 13 progressive society? my partner after 18 years of being together, respecting and loving each other. Isn't this a positive step for- ward for our country? Are we uniting people in love, responsibility and re- spect? Personally I have seen enough bullying, enough suicides, enough young people unscrupulously dis- owned by their own parents – this is truly revolutionary. However, I think education is the next step forward – we must educate our children that human diversity is natural. It is not a choice or a life- style. It must not constitute hard- ship or inequality. I am 100% sure that transgender people would know if they are unhappy in their body by the age of 14, if not even younger. It is not an easy process – they must come out to themselves, their fami- lies, their friends, society and we should be there to support fully and unconditionally. Only through fear and ignorance of the unknown, will there be hate, discrimination and in- justice. Malta is truly the most Chris- tian state in the world. To accept and love yourself makes us more produc- tive, satisfied and happier to help and assist others and ready to understand the true nature of life in all its diver- sity. Nobody is influenced to become gay or transgender – we all live in a world bombarded with images that portray heterosexuality and therefore if it were a question of influence, we should all be hetero. Gay and trans- gender people are the product of het- erosexual couples – we all are. The difficulties ahead are to change the closed minds of the few – I guess this will pass just as other things like slavery, discrimination against women and fear of science have. One day, I will see a society that is more understanding, more peaceful, more compassionate, more educated, more prone to the changes that bring love and hope. Difficulty only lies where there is no belief – and I believe in truth, equality and justice for all. Nadine Noko Illustrator and designer You wake up in the morning and you think about your deadlines, you think about whether you've remem- bered to buy milk for your cornflakes. The only time it dawns on you that you are gay and that in some people's eyes, you are different, is when some- one points it out to you. I remember the discussions during the civil union debate; it felt so weird, people dis- cussing whether or not you could be a good parent or a pervert of sorts, not based on your character but on the fact that you are gay. The whole process was a very emo- tional one. I am 37 and although I was never in the closet, I grew up thinking that marriage was not an option, at least not in my time. I can never forget that moment in front of parliament when the civil union bill passed. Legally we have come a long way. Socially, we are much better than 10 years ago but we still encounter dis- crimination. I have gotten random private messages from strangers tell- ing me that my relationship is not as valid as theirs because it is not bless- ed by God. Recently I've had some health problems and needed to do an ultra- sound. Even at my most vulnerable moment, the person doing the ultra- sound decided to strike up the most inappropriate conversation with my girlfriend, comparing gay issues to hunting, as a sort of perk. I've also been to civil unions where parents refuse to attend and I still have friends who are not out at work or at home because of their sexual orientation. You also have the back- lash of the success of the law passing: 'Now that you got what you wanted, you have no right to complain about anything'. In 10 years' time we will be looking back at a lot of these conversations and viewing them like we view the bigoted arguments in America when interracial marriages became legal or when women were allowed to vote. To overcome prejudices and dif- ficulties, I hope the community can be a lot like Joanne Cassar: Don't take no for answer, eight years in court and she never gave up! Now, thanks to her efforts, Malta has the best gen- der identity bill around the world. So live your life as a whole, fall in love, get your heart broken, don't let any prejudice change you. People's hearts will change. Things do actually get better. Dr Roberta Buhagiar Employee, UN refugee agency Malta Perhaps for the first time, I felt a real sense of pride about my coun- try when the Civil Unions Act was approved in Parliament. Last week, this sense of pride was renewed with the approval of the GIGESC Act. The word "surreal" keeps coming to mind. Malta was always known for being a staunchly conservative place, safe- guarding the interests of those who subscribe to the Roman Catholic view of the world. I think that with this new, strong legal framework protecting the rights of LGBTIQ per- sons, Malta has shown that it can be at the forefront and an example to others, rather than constantly play- ing catch-up. However, while the new legal framework will change the lives of many Maltese and paves the way for positive social change, there is still much to be done in terms of public information and education on LGBTIQ issues. I also think there is a need to pro- vide adequate support to LGBTIQ persons in this country who are not Maltese. In particular there is a need to understand refugees who have been persecuted or faced intolerable harm just for being who they are, and to provide adequate support and counselling, so that they too can be in a position where they can enjoy the high standard of legal protection we have now legislated for in Malta. Beyond this, I also think there is still much to be done in terms of protec- tion and support for others, such as survivors of female genital mutilation (FGM) and victims of trafficking. Ray Calleja TV personality and actor I do believe that what it means to be trans, gay, bi, or intersex is a mat- ter of subjectivity. There is a divide between the rule of law and what a person actually feels, or what culture in different societies accepts or glori- fies. Just because we have new laws, that does not mean that people will not go through difficulties socially or culturally, it is however certainly a huge step in the right direction. On a human rights level, the new GIGESC Act is definitely an im- mense statement not only for a small country like ours but also on a global scale. The idea of 'normalisation' of diversities is justly challenged and consequently leads the way to a more harmonious understanding of peo- ple, individuals, cultures and the sub- tle differences that make each and every one of us. In legal matters, the situation in Malta has certainly improved, one can see marriage proposals being shared publicly on social media and more people being more socially comfort- able if they are gay, bi, transgender or even intersex. There are couples who have been waiting for such legislation for decades and it is inspiring to be able to see them celebrating that love publicly after so many years. There will also be others that will be heartbroken because their proposals will be rejected or their relationships will break up and maybe also end in divorce. This only proves one point, that on the 'human' level we are all similar, and it is this human level that unites the diverse array of individuals across the globe. Rule of law will never be enough on these issues, however. Continu- ous educational campaigns and open discussions and the sharing of expe- riences will all be required until the need to distinguish is extinguished naturally. Celine Paris Transgender shop owner Both the civil unions bill and the gender identity bill have constituted great steps forward in our society. The Civil Unions Bill means that gay couples can finally enjoy their rela- tionships publicly and legally. The gender identity bill on the other hand means that we can live a more com- fortable life than before as we can fi- nally be recognized for who we want to be without having to go through court procedures and gynaecologists after the already long operation pro- cedures. The situation as it stands now does not present any more legal issues, but there obviously are still going to be problems with people's opinions. Some do not and will not accept gay or transgender individuals either be- cause of religious conviction or for some other reasons, but I cannot de- ny that life has become easier. I think that the new laws will also help soci- ety to see both gay people and trans- gender individuals as equals, as we now have the same laws and rights. Roderick Vassallo Actor Given recent changes, I certainly do not feel a second-class citizen any- more. Malta has come a long way in a matter of months and it is not just a matter of legislation. I feel that there was a change in the Maltese mental- ity; sometimes it feels like a slight and slow change, but in some instances I attest to significant changes, so much so that it is comfortable to speak openly about my life even to perfect strangers. Given my background I can safely say that it is much easier for me now to share who I am with others around me without any second thought. However, I am also aware that maybe more fragile individuals in a tight sit- uation might still find it hard to come out and be who they really are. I dream of a day when nobody needs to justify his or her own orientation to anyone anymore. Until we keep speaking about 'coming-out', we still have challenges to face. Gay people today still have to face relatives and friends explaining their innermost difficulties in coming to terms with their being. We need to stop presenting one ideal picture to the younger genera- tion to make things better; a happy couple in adverts, stories, nursery rhymes and pop songs is not nec- essarily composed of a man and a woman. We do not have any cul- tural reference to identify with and providing these references will help society in general but also many gay and transgender persons who are still struggling to live a happy life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²7HQGHU3UHSDUDWLRQ 3DJHRIWKH7HQGHU'RFXPHQWDQGGHSRVLWHGLQWKH WHQGHU ER[ DW WKH 0(3$ SUHPLVHV LQ )ORULDQD E\ :HGQHVGD\WK$SULO EHIRUHDP $Q\TXHVWLRQVFRQFHUQLQJWKLVFDOOIRUWHQGHUVVKRXOGEH DGGUHVVHGWRWKH'LUHFWRURI&RUSRUDWH6HUYLFHVRQHPDLO WHQGHUV#PHSDRUJPWE\QRWODWHUWKDQ)ULGD\WK $SULOEHIRUHSP $SDUWLFLSDWLRQIHHRIĄQHHGVWREHSDLGLQRUGHU WRVXEPLWDQRIIHU /DWHRULQFRPSOHWHVXEPLVVLRQVZLOOQRWEHFRQVLGHUHG 'LYHUVLRQIURPWKHVSHFLILFDWLRQZLOOUHQGHUWKHRIIHUQXOO DQGYRLG 7KH/,)(%$ƪ$5IRU1.3URMHFWLVFRILQDQFHGE\WKH (8/,)()XQGLQJ3URJUDPPH