A radio and TV presenter – who underwent gender reassignment surgery almost three decades ago - has filed a report with the Hate Speech and Crime Unit after she was subject to a barrage of gender-based hate speech on Facebook on Tuesday.
Angela Coleiro, 53, posted pictures of a collage of insults directed at her on Facebook by people who called her an “insult to women” among other things.
I never felt the need to broadcast my personal life in the media but this time I have to speak up - for myself and for others.
“Of course this hurts, but I am strong. I had my gender reassignment surgery 27 years ago and, over the years, I’ve grown thick skin and I’m living a normal life. I have decided to take this up and fight against this form of unacceptable comments – not so much for myself but for those other people who might not be as strong as I am,” she said adding: “I am Malta’s first transgender person in the media. I never felt the need to broadcast my personal life in the media but this time I have to speak up - for myself and for others - and will keep fighting.”
The insults started on Facebook after Coleiro posted a comment of a political nature. (She stated that former Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, under the Nationalist government, had obtained €1.2 billion in funds and not a loan. She asked people not to negative about this fact.)
“I am the sort of person who is not scared to voice my views openly but I make sure not to insult anyone,” she said. But instead of arguing back politically, some people attacked her with gender-based hate speech.
"What they don’t realise is that they are not only targeting me. I have an 81-year-old mother and two sisters. And this hurts them," she said.
This is something that the LGBTIQ community often faces said Alex Caruana who is the community outreach coordinator of the Malta Gay Rights Movement - MGRM. “I myself have posted comments about migration and got insulted because I’m trans,” he said.
What is hate crime?
Hate crime is any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim, or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on a person’s race, colour, religion or belief, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability or perceived disability, language, national or ethnic origin, citizenship or political belief or any other opinion.
Hate crime is made up of a combination of the following acts: physical aggression, hate speech, and incitement to hatred. In October government inaugurated the Hate Speech and Crime Unit to focus on raising awareness on what constitutes hate speech as well as assisting victims.