Puli’s bluster on ‘gay books’ and Islamic veils is miguided

Presenting same-sex families and gay identities as normal in school-books is essential to promote an equality agenda.

Criminalising women who cover their face risks marginalising them, instead of integrating them in a society which promotes gender equality.

“When we were discussing the Gender Identity Bill, I had warned that it risks introducing rapid changes and had expressed concerns felt by people,” Puli told parliament today. “The uproar at the books is proof that the sudden introduction of radical changes creates a sense of fear and discomfort within the community. You cannot give somebody rights, while at the same time taking rights away from others.”

What rights exactly are being taken away by books promoting equality and presenting same-sex families and gay identities as a normal fact of life? Is that not what we aspire to or not?

One may well have used the same argument (of rapid cultural change) when segregation was the norm of life in southern states in the USA... Was it wrong back then to challenge stereotypes? Was it wrong to introduce affirmative action programmes in those states where segregation was a way of life? Was Martin Luther King wrong in advocating rapid social change? That is what American conservatives thought at the time. They disguised their opposition to equal rights by advocating state rights.

The truth is that any commitment towards equality requires courage and leadership. Rather than a misguided crusade on books that were meant as teaching aides, we should be having a full blown discussion on changes to the curriculum to ensure that school-books depict same-sex families and gay identities as a normal fact of life.

It is astonishing that at a time when the PN should be busy making itself presentable to people of a liberal temperament, irked by Muscat’s over-bearing and bullish style of government and cronyism, it keeps sending messages which are off-putting to those who believe in full and meaningful equality.

It is simply wrong to have some identities affirmed and others obscured. Nobody will become gay because he or she is exposed to the reality of different lifestyles. But many are bullied because their identity is obscured and hidden.

In the same breath Puli also referred to French republican values to defend a ban on burqas, something which now both parties seem to be in agreement with. While I find burqas retrograde and a veritable walking prison for women, is it wise to make a big fuss about something which perhaps affects a handful of people?

Neither is it clear whether the government and opposition want to also criminalise anyone wearing the niqab. If that is the case is it wise to marginalize these people and possibly limit their freedom of movement to their own home?

And are our politicians playing a dangerous game by trying to appease Islamophobic sentiments by emphasizing this topic? Would it not make more sense to combat prejudice and promote equality by embarking on meaningful cultural dialogue and integration?

Would it not make sense to ensure that all people living here as asylum seekers, foreign residents and citizens (including those who became citizens through the IIP programme) attend a course which includes information on gender equality laws in Malta, and which provides information to those attending on what help is available to victims of abuse, human trafficking and exploitation in all its forms (including cases of abuse of more scantily dressed women).

What really counts is what support our society gives to women and men who denounce abuse and exploitation, including that in labour market, and not symbolic culture wars which feed on an underlying racism.