Homosexuality is not a psychological disorder, the Malta Chamber of Psychologists said on Saturday, amid an appeal to eliminate the stigma of mental illness which shrouds people of lesbian, gay and bisexual orientations.

Homosexuality is not a pathology, mental anomaly nor psychological disorder, the chamber said in a statement. 

Though the psychologists did not say what provoked them to issue a statement, it came a day after Matthew Grech, who describes himself as an “ex-gay”, told The Malta Independent that homosexuality is a psychological disorder.

It reiterated that the notion of gay conversion, as a therapy or simply even as a concept, is in itself harmful and noxious to persons from the LGBTIQ community, since it not only rejects a group of individuals based on unfounded promises, but also promotes a lack of tolerance.

"As a body we promote respect and equality for all persons and we strongly condemn any practices, public outcries or vociferous attacks on any minority group or section of our population."

The discipline of psychology is concerned with the health and well-being of humans and groups, and the chamber said it considered such behaviours to be a direct threat to public well-being.

"Denying our true nature may in itself lead to psychological difficulties, and denying our sexual orientation - if it so happens not to be hetero-normative - is in fact known as internalised homophobia."