The Canadian author and producer, Elliot Page sent a strong and thought-provoking message, when, as an LGBTIQ+ individual, he claimed that: “We deserve to experience love, equally, without shame and without compromise.”
This message should provide society with an important guiding principle: love is love – every member of society has the right to experience love in the way they deem best, share the love with whomever they choose and live the life they want.
In recent years, the LGBTIQ+ community gained several rights, thanks to more liberal, democratic and open-minded legislation. As a nation, Malta is now at the forefront of civil rights legal structures for LGBTIQ+ individuals. This is commendable and encouraging. However, despite the progress registered on paper, many individuals still have to face discrimination and intolerance on a day-to-day basis.
Unfortunately, in our society, many LGBTIQ+ voices are still inaudible. Many still experience the repercussions of the stigma attached to the life choices made by LGBTIQ+ individuals. As a result of this, many LGBTIQ+ individuals do not feel comfortable expressing their feelings in public and, instead, may be constrained to live a lie.
Unfortunately, there are still sections of society that have a closed-minded mentality and that refuse to accept lifestyles that are different from the traditional family unit. Homophobia and transphobia are still present; there are still members of society who feel they have a privileged right to dictate how others should express their love and live their lives.
Despite the fact that the legal rights gained by LGBTIQ+ individuals have not affected or decreased the rights of others, negative and demeaning comments about the LGBTIQ+ community are frequent and common.
As the Drachma Parents Group explained recently, acceptance is still lacking in Maltese society. Sadly, there are still parents who refuse to accept their own LGBTIQ+ children. In fact, the Malta Gay Rights Movement will be opening a safe house, Dar Qawsalla, for those individuals who end up without a home because their parents throw them out.
In our country, we are now celebrating Gay Pride – a celebration of love. Apart from the joyful and festive atmosphere, it brings with it a remembrance of the journey travelled by the LGBTIQ+ community so far and a reminder of the rest of the journey that needs to be covered.
On our tiny island, there are still LGBTIQ+ individuals who are victims of persecution. Younger members of the LGBTIQ+ community might find it easier to express their sexual orientation in public. However, older members might find it more challenging to do so.
The PN admits that, in the past, it committed mistakes; and it has learnt from these mistakes- Graziella Attard Previ
Older members were probably brought up in more intolerant families, in a society where religion frowned upon non-heterosexual love and where the fear and stigma of living a non-heterosexual lifestyle were instilled from a very young age.
Often, these older LGBTIQ+ voices are silenced and neglected. As a society, there should be a more conscious effort to elicit these voices and to help such individuals overcome their fears.
In the past, the Nationalist Party adopted a conservative stance that ignored, or, at best, took too long to understand the LGBTIQ+ community. Rightly so, some individuals turned their back on the party. The Nationalist Party admits that, in the past, it committed mistakes; and it has learnt from these mistakes.
The setting up of the Equal Opportunity Forum was instrumental in bringing about the necessary paradigm shift and actively listening to the LGBTIQ+ community, and I am honoured and proud to say that I was the first appointed president of the forum, which I served for six years (2014-2020).
A change in mentality means a change of heart, together with a change in mind. Starting from a very young age, children should be aware and exposed to different lifestyles and different forms of families through books and videos and through living examples. All families should strive to instil a strong sense of acceptance and inclusivity.
Different channels of communication should also be directly and dynamically involved in offering space to the LGBTIQ+ community and in integrating the different voices in society. Diversity should be embraced and celebrated.
The journey of the LGBTIQ+ community in Malta is still unfolding. Great strides have been made so far but there are still hurdles that need to be overcome. Love conquers all. Through love, we can all learn to accept and respect each other. We are all searching for love in its diverse forms. Love can bind us and make us forget our differences, it can merge the LGBTIQ+ community with the rest of the community to create a united and stronger society.
Graziella Attard Previ is the Nationalist Party’s spokesperson on equality and children’s rights.