EuroPride: Mission accomplished? Not yet

Malta’s top ranking in Europe’s ‘rainbow index’ for eight years in a row is a stark reminder of the blitzkrieg of LGBTIQ-friendly laws Labour introduced since being elected to power, an incredible feat for a country which had only introduced divorce in 2011 – and which still bans abortion.

In 2013, Malta languished at the 18th spot in the International Lesbian Gay Association’s ranking. Ten years on, same-sex couples can marry and adopt children, transgender people can freely change their gender identity, and same-sex couples have been granted access to IVF services.

But how far is this change reflected in everyday norms and behaviour?

“Laws and policies do not necessarily change cultures. They put the issues on the political agenda. They create more awareness and debate but culturally ingrained ideas are not easy to change,” says sociologist Angele Deguara, who still recognises that today the Maltese are a society more embracing of sexual and gender diversities and relationships which “do not fit the heteronormative framework.”

Sociologist Angele Deguara

She attributes this to the diminished influence of the Catholic church after the watershed divorce referendum of 2011, and political propaganda by the ruling Labour Party which increased “acceptance”.

“These laws gave legitimacy to our existence and created the safe space for many to come out… even people in the 40s and 50s started coming out,” says Alex Caruana, an activist at the Malta Gay Rights Movement where he also works as a senior programme officer.

Caruana recalls that when MGRM introduced its ‘rainbow support service’ in 2013, people were still wary of revealing their identity to the extent that they would call from an “unknown number”.

“Today young people come to seek help accompanied by their parents, who feel comfortable asking questions in this safe environment, Caruana says. In the streets, he adds, more same-sex couples hold hands and no longer refrain from showing affection in public.

And a major change, yet often overlooked change that impacted the most disadvantaged categories, is Malta’s Gender Wellbeing Clinic, a government health service offered for transgender persons living in Malta. Set up in 2018, the clinic is run by a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals specialised with working with all gender identities. “On this count we are far more advanced than other European countries,” Caruana says. “Elsewhere patients seeking access to treatment face long waiting lists to get access to treatment.”

What’s left to fight for?

But this does not mean that Malta has become an LGBTIQ paradise, says Deguara, believing it is far too early to declare mission accomplished. “Despite the legal and policy changes, and the fact that Malta has for years occupied the top position on the ILGA Europe map for equal rights, there is always much left to be done, particularly in terms of cultural change, education about gender and sexual diversity, and LGBTIQ+ migrant rights.”

Caruana insists that a greater focus is needed on employment issues, particularly to the problems faced by trans and non-binary people when applying for jobs and presenting themselves for interviews in a way which defies dominant gender norms, but which reflects their identity. “When they present themselves in a way which conforms to social norms but which defies their own identity, they face no problems. But when they present themselves as they really are, they face problems and often end up jobless.”

Caruana also highlights the importance of the Equality Bill – now on the backburner after a concerted outcry from Catholic and conservative organisations – specifically designed to prohibit discrimination in various aspects of life. It has since disappeared from the political agenda of the Labour government.

Alex Caruana, an activist at the Malta Gay Rights Movement

He signals challenges related to healthcare, particularly the stigma associated with HIV, a condition which affects people of all orientations but which has a history in the LGBTIQ community. “There is little psychological support following a diagnosis. Basically, people are left alone in their most difficult moment.”

Caruana says Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) medication, available from pharmacies at a price of €56.70 for 30 tablets, should be offered for free since it is a very effective way of preventing HIV, especially among those with a sexually active lifestyle. Caruana points out that for this reason, Prep is available for free from sexual health clinics in the United Kingdom.

Human rights for everyone, everywhere

The other major issue facing the community is the plight of LGBTIQ asylum seekers, something which cannot be ignored at Europride, whose motto is ‘human rights for everyone, everywhere’.

“We are aware of at least eight LGBTIQ persons whose application was rejected despite hailing from countries where their identity is criminalised,” Deguara says.

Malta considers eight countries that criminalise homosexuality as safe countries where failed asylum seekers can be sent back. “If they are sent back to these countries, they can face years of imprisonment,” she says, and adds that there are cases where asylum seekers are afraid to speak about their sexual orientation in front of an interpreter from their own country.

Another issue facing LGBTIQ asylum seekers is their safety in open and closed centres where they can be in danger due to their identity. Moreover, accessing gender-affirming health care, including hormonal treatment is very difficult, if not impossible in these conditions.

The fear of diversity

And despite the greater acceptance of LGBTIQ+ people, some reactions on the social media betray a sense of unease with their increased visibility in public spaces particularly in the presence of children.

“Every year after the Pride march, there are hateful comments on social media about the ‘perversions’ that were on display during the march, which is in itself indicative of culture in which heterosexuality is still the norm and sexual and gender diverse, non-binary individuals are still stigmatised by sections of society,” Deguara says.

Only a few weeks ago a photo of a drag queen at a flash mob event attended by both adults and children, posted on the social mediam, led to a misinformation frenzy in which some commentators even expressed concern on children being ‘infected’. Alex Caruana is appalled that there are people who still believe that children can be “corrupted”: “How can something which is so innate like being trans affect others?” he asks, insisting that it is also important for children to learn about diversity and then to have fun in an atmosphere that celebrates diversity.

Questioning gender roles

Caruana says that the notion of challenging the idea of fixed gender roles and stereotypes is not just an LGBTIQ or feminist issue but is beneficial for straight males whose emotional development is twisted by social norms expecting them to ‘man up’ by being detached, virile and cold.

“Boys do cry. But they don’t have enough spaces where they can express their emotions. Being male can be very lonely, because men are not expected to connect emotionally with each other. It is no wonder that 80% of suicides are committed by men. There is a problem of solitude stemming from lack of emotional expression and support networks.”

Caruana thinks misogyny and homophobia fanned by YouTube sensations like Andrew Tate, are filling an “ideological vacuum” to give straight, cisgender males an illusion of being in control in a world they no longer dominate in the same way they did for millennia.

But this is only one side of the story, as many males are embracing change. “Many males no longer shun therapy and are actively seeking self-improvement, striving to become better persons by connecting with their emotions.”

Europride – with all its pitfalls of commercialisation and inevitable pink washing – may well be the sort of occasion where people of different orientations can have fun in a collective safe space where they can be comfortable and playful with their own gender identities.

The march to equality

14 April 2014 Civil unions give same-sex couples the rights, benefits and responsibilities of marriage, including adoption rights, approved by parliament with no vote against and the abstention of the Opposition.

3 March 2015 Gender identity bill approved unanimously by parliament. The law gives everyone the right to request the Director of the Public Registry to change the recorded gender and, or, first name, to reflect that person’s self-determined gender identity even in the absence of a medical intervention. The law gives parents the possibility to postpone the entry of a gender marker on their children’s birth certificate until the child is 14 years old.

5 December 2016 Malta becomes first EU country to outlaw gay conversion therapy, criminalising any practice which seeks to change or repress a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. The law imposes fines and jail terms for anyone advertising, offering, performing or referring an individual to another person which performs any form of conversion practice.

12 July 2017 Parliament approves amendments to the Marriage Act which allow persons of the same sex to marry in the same way as opposite sex couples. All the House’s MPs, with the exception of Nationalist MP Edwin Vassallo, vote in favour after both sides publicly declared their support.

19 June 2018 Amendments to the Embryo Protection Act, including opening up access to IVF treatment in Malta for same-sex couples and single women, approved by a majority in parliament.