Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/984659
NEWS 6 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 20 MAY 2018 JAMES DEBONO MALTA'S meteoric rise to the top of Europe's 'rainbow index' is a stark reminder of the blitz- krieg of LGBTIQ-friendly laws Labour introduced since being elected to power in 2013. Then Malta languished at the 18th spot in the International Lesbian Gay Association's rank- ing. Five years on, same-sex couples can marry and adopt children, transgender people can freely change their gender identity, and same-sex couples are on the cusp of being granted access to IVF services. And the change in social at- titudes has been a marked one, even noted by the United States' annual crime and safety report issued by the Department of State for American travellers' safety: "much of society has quickly adopted the same pro- gressive attitude, breaking from a long history of social conserva- tism." "It's been an epochal change that would not have occurred without a previous change in social attitude… and the media had a huge role in this change," says Colette Farrugia Bennett, a social worker and today coordi- nator of the Malta Gay Rights Movement. But it's been the legal changes that have themselves triggered further social changes by em- powering LGBTIQ people. "The change has been in the offing for some time, but the change in laws ensured that this change continued… These laws gave us a great sense of empowerment." As a social worker, Farrugia Bennett says these changes im- pacted on how parents react to their children coming out. "Dif- ficulties persist but this experi- ence is not any longer perceived in a completely negative way. While in the past acceptance was the exception to the norm, now there is a greater sense of acceptance." Silvan Agius, formerly ILGA- Europe's policy director before taking up the post of director of Malta's human rights and inte- gration directorate, acknowl- edges this change in the "com- ing out" process. "Only a few years ago, Maltese LGBTIQ people suffered from a lot of stigma and social exclu- sion. Indeed, the 'coming out' process was often framed as an act of courage and a leap in the dark, rather than the process of self-affirmation it has become now. While a number of LG- BTIQ youth still suffer from anxiety and stress during this process today, their visibility in Maltese society is an indication of Malta's new found openness on the matter, as well as com- munity empowerment." Agius says that even profes- sionals like teachers show great- er interest in training opportu- nities on how to tackle diversity in classrooms. "In the past issues related to the presence of LGBTIQ per- sons in these contexts were sim- ply overlooked or ignored. Now people want to learn more. This is because LGBTIQ people are no longer rendered invisible. They are on the agenda and con- tributing to setting that agenda." One reason for this change is how political leadership set the example for greater social inclu- sion. "In my view, we can speak about the growing normalisa- tion of LGBTIQ issues in the country, and that is thanks to the work of LGBTIQ civil socie- ty and political leadership on the part of government all the way to the Prime Minister's office," Agius says. Statistical evidence confirms the way this change in political direction resulted in substantial change in social perceptions and attitudes. In October 2015, a Eurobarometer survey on dis- crimination mapped Malta's metamorphosis in gay rights: in terms of trans persons' ac- ceptance, Malta was the fast- est climber with an increase of 17% of the population who said they were 'totally comfortable' with trans persons, compared to 2012; while the percentage of the population saying it was 'totally uncomfortable' dropped by 20%. "I attribute this to the aware- ness raised by the Gender Iden- tity, Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics Act that was adopted six months prior: that parliamentary debate, the dis- cussion that ensued, [and] an in- creased visibility of trans in the media and other public spaces," said Agius, who had a leading role in drafting LGBTIQ laws in Malta. 'People want to know more' Another indicator of change has been the level attendance in Gay Pride celebrations. When the first Gay Pride marches were organised by MGRM in the early noughties, straight people from political parties and NGOs would outnumber openly gay people. This is no longer the case and LGBTIQ people are no longer invisible. Agius says the Pride celebrations grew from around 300 participants to over 2,500 in 2017. Alex Caruana, a transgender person and longstanding social and political activist, confirms how legal changes not only made his own life easier, but brought about more supportive attitudes in society at large. "As a child, I have always felt more comfortable in the com- pany of boys and years later, during my teens, I found himself wearing men's clothing," Carua- na said. The Gender Identity bill ap- proved in 2015 removed the need to undergo sex reassign- ment surgery before official Malta has retained its first placing in Europe's gay rights league table for the third consecutive year, but is this change truly ref lected in everyday life and attitudes? Malta tops the gay rights league but daily life can still be a struggle for some Numerous at Gay Pride 2017: social and political activist Alex Caruana photographed holding flag; and clockwise, Silvan Agius and Colette Farrugia Bennett "The 'coming out' process was often framed as an act of courage and a leap in the dark, rather than the process of self-affirmation it has become now"