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Think tank’s dampener: civil unions of great benefit but gay marriage ‘step too far’
Today Public Policy Institute says same-sex marriage is ‘one step too far for Malta as this time’
17 May 2013, 12:00am
Jurgen Balzan
Jurgen Balzan
2 min read
Civil unions are fine, but it may be too early to have gay marriage, TPPI said.
The benefits of recognising same-sex relationships through a civil union scheme at par with marriage, would be considerable for Maltese society, the TPPI think-tank said today.
Speaking during the launch of a report entitled Same Sex: Same Civil Entitlements, Martin Scicluna, chairman of the Today Public Policy Institute, said the creation of a new legal relationship for same-sex couples would play an important role in increasing the social acceptance of gays, bisexuals and trans-genders and removing discrimination.
But in spite of calls by the Malta Gay Rights Movement to introduce gay marriage, Scicluna said "same-sex marriage per se is one step too far for Malta at this time."
Although the report says that Maltese society treats LGBTI couples as being in a second-class relationship, the think tank falls short of recommending same sex marriage.
Quizzed why TPPI had not proposed gay marriage, Scicluna said: "The gay community in Malta would appreciate a status giving them a status close to being married, which would nonetheless break the barriers."
He explained that arguments in France and the UK where gay marriage had dominated the political scene in recent months, were about the word 'marriage'.
Scicluna added that the proposal to restrict the civil union scheme to same-sex couples was a reaction to British conservatives favouring marriage, in order not to give straight couples the option to apply for civil unions.
He explained that the think tank's board members did not necessarily agree with every sentence in the report.
Asked whether the think tank was simply being cautious, he said that once Malta has introduced civil union as happened in France and the UK, in due course it will move in the direction of realising that same-sex marriage should be introduced.
The report has been presented to all MPs and was written as a contribution to the Consultative Council called by government. Both parties in parliament agree with the introduction of civil unions.
Jurgen Balzan was a MaltaToday reported from 2011 to 2017.
Emmanuel Mallia •
Queers need medical research, not so called rights. Their strategy is to lobby harder, so politicians make us believe that being queer is something normal
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Ara jien ghalija ma taghmilx differenza bniedem lil minn ihobb...jista anke jkollu x jaqsam ma ziemel jekk irid !!! Imma din li nharxu l-pieni lil minn jattakka lil xi Gay ma naccettahiex. Persuna Gay u mhiex ghandha jkollha l-istess protezzjoni mill-ligi ghax allura nkella malajr jakkuzawk li int omofobiku jekk jkollok xi kwistjoni ma persuna li tinzerta li hi gay ....peress li m`hawnx min japproffita ruhu !!!
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Nature or lack of it has nothing to do with committing oneself legally with another person to safeguard both parties' interests. The sexual orientation of persons is irrelevant where legal rights are concerned
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@ Algan
With all due respect sir,giving the right for two monogamous persons to express their love in front of the state is not corruption,but commitment.By stating that gay marriages would 'corrupt' the word marriage you are implying that this commitment is inferior to that between a man and a woman.Which it is not.Furthermore,I think marriage has already been corrupted without any homosexual agenda so before we can start pointing fingers,we must make sure ours are clean in the first place.
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Humans in their natural desire to not feel lonely or without an objective in life enter into all sorts of relationships both sexual and emotional. Traditionally since the beginning of time the word marriage has been reserved for man and woman living together cum sexual relations. Other relations whilst recognised and given rights should be called by another name and civil union is one as is common residence relationship. Let us remember that besides LGBT relations there are those between siblings, those between a person and his dog or cat, those between persons who live in a community or monastery, They are many other relations whic are combinations or variations of what I mentioned,whether eccentric or fetish in nature. Yes recognize all of them and give them the appropriate civil rights but do not corrupt the word marriage. Otherwise we may also have to legislate for those who are "married" to their work ,books or sports activity.
