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Caritas and Arka refuse gay movement’s donations

By Kurt Sansone

The awkward relationship that exists between the church and the gay community was highlighted last year when two organisations with religious links rejected donations from the Malta Gay Rights Movement.

Sandro Mangion, the MGRM’s spokesman, admitted the organisation is well aware that the Church is a hard nut to crack when it comes to establishing dialogue.

Mr Mangion is a freelance journalist.

The two organisations which chose not to accept charitable donations from the MGRM were Caritas and Fondazzjoni Arka. The attitude was a disappointment to the group which wants to forge contacts with ‘serious’ movements. And the Church’s stand obviously puts obstacles in the path of beginning dialogue.

"It’s difficult to get things started with an institution which declares that ‘a homosexual inclination is an objective disorder’," Mr Mangion remarked.

"It is difficult for gay people who are faced with such statements to feel part of the Church. Gay peopledo not want compassion and charity and the situation has unfortunately led to many gay people abandoning their faith."
Mr Mangion added, "We must understand that sexuality is a constitutive part of a person and gay people who rely solely on the official church doctrine cannot accept their sexuality as a positive aspect and an integral part of their personality."

He stresses that Gay people are taxpayers like anybody else awhich is why the recently set up lobby group will be campaigning for equal treatment with other taxpayers.

Mr Mangion said that the MGRM, which was launched in June last year, is determined to take political action to change the situation gay people face.
"Our interest is politics with a capital ‘P’. We want to be a lobby group for change because the reality of gay people is that they are still being denied rights which other taxpayers enjoy, even though they pay their taxes just like anybody else."

The movement, represents, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people and over its eight months of existence it has managed to bring together a number of individuals from diverse social and educational backgrounds.

When asked to point out examples of discrimination, Mr Mangion highlighted the fact that heterosexual couples can benefit from social housing schemes while gay couples cannot. He also recalled the story of a gay person who was asked by an insurance company to take an HIV test just because he replied in the affirmative when asked if he was gay.

His frankness also meant that he is now paying a premium which is much higher than he would have been asked to pay had he not disclosed his sexual identity. Gay people are also expected to identify themselves when they go to donate blood, irrespective of the lifestyle they lead.

"Gay teachers also find the going tough and it is not the first time that they have lost their job. The majority of gay teachers are afraid to openly show their sexual orientation fearing reprisals. The aim of the movement is to eliminate social stigma by attacking misconceptions about same sex sexuality."

Mr Mangion shot down the popular misconception that being gay is tantamount to being a paedophile. "This is not true and it is this misconception that causes discrimination against gay teachers."

He also pointed out another popular misconception. "People think that AIDS is a gay disease. Dr Philip Carabott of the GU clinic stressed in an interview published recently that there is no gay sickness. AIDS can afflict anybody and it is promiscuity that is cause for concern, not being gay."

He added that, contrary to the popular misconception, gay people are not only interested in sex.

"Being gay is accepting yourself as a whole and that means much more than just sex," he stressed.

MGRM also wants to reach out to the political arena. Mr Mangion explained that the movement will shortly draft a memorandum, which it will present to the three political parties.

"Political parties are afraid of treading on controversial ground for fear of losing votes. But we require a change of mentality that will instigate the parties to change things. We appreciate Alternattiva Demokratika for being the only party that has spoken openly about gay rights."

Mr Mangion then raised the EU membership issue and said that the MGRM will be taking an official position before the referendum.

"We believe in Malta’s right to determine its own future. But when we hear homophobic remarks like those made by Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg in parliament a few months ago, or Dr Lawrence Gonzi’s remarks on Georg Sapiano’s show on Net TV before the 1998 election, we start doubting whether Maltese politicians can ever change things. Even Dr Alfred Sant clarified a pledge he had made prior to the 1998 general election to recognise alternative families by specifying that he was referring to ‘single parent families’," Mr Mangion said.

He highlighted the difficulty of the ‘coming out’ process and also pointed out that a conservative estimate puts the gay community at around 10 per cent of the population. "But there are countless others who have never come out or who do not show it, or who are scared to say they are gay and so try to lead a ‘normal’ life," Mr Mangion explained. “Sexuality is fluid and hence cannot be categorised clinically.

“Being gay is not a matter of free choice. Who would choose the misery of forming part of a minority with all the discrimination and pain that brings with it?" he asked.