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PHOTOS from the Gay Pride: Legal recognition of gay couples at the top of LGBT agenda
Around 250 activists from the Malta Gay Rights Movement (MGRM) today rallied under the scorching sun to reaffirm equal recognition stand. The pride march, which forms part of the Pride Week 2010, carried the theme of ‘Rights Now!’
17 July 2010, 12:00am
Miriam Dalli
Miriam Dalli
3 min read
‘Rights Now!’ is a call for politicians and policy makers to the recognition of LGBT (lesbian, gays, bisexual and transgender) rights which cannot be postponed any longer. Filling up the march were multi-coloured balloons and banners, together with whistling and horn sounds. The march was officially opened by singers Chiara and Muxu who sung the song ‘Believe'.
Gabi Calleja, coordinator of the MGRM said that this pride march forms part of the Euro Pride, which will take place today at noon in Warsaw. “In itself, this event commemorates the times when gay people had to hide and this march is a statement,” she said.
Calleja said that in around 80 countries around the world, being gay is seen as a criminal act. Asked by MaltaToday what the priorities for the MGRM are today, Calleja said the legal recognition of couples of the same sex is always on top of the agenda. “However, we are also stressing on the importance of transgender rights. They should not be forced to surgically change their sex to be recognized as the other sex,” adding at the same time that access to such surgery should be made easier.
An English activist who came to Malta to support the pride march, said that she was here to help raise awareness in Malta about LGBT rights: “we are normal people just as everyone and we deserve equal rights.” The activist advised that Maltese gays should feel comfortable about who they are, whilst encouraging them to “come out”.
German MEP Holger Krahmer was also present at the march. He said that it is was important for all of the EU countries to recognize gay rights, which are human rights and that gay lifestyles should be respected. He said that EU laws enforce such respect adding that “time has come for Malta to enforce this respect.” Krahmer told MaltaToday that the anti-discrimination laws from the European Parliament should be enforced to pressure governments and organizations to move towards LGBT rights.
Present at the pride march were also Labour MPs Evarist Bartolo, Owen Bonnici, Nationalist MPs David Agius and Karl Gouder, and Alternattiva Demokratika chairperson Michael Briguglio. Evarist Bartolo, who is a regular attendee for the pride march, said that participating is a show of solidarity. Bartolo explained how many of these persons are finding it hard to find a job and were living in poverty. “These persons are not able to live in our society. We have to change our law to improve their lives,” Bartolo said.
Michael Briguglio said Alternattiva Demokratika have long been fighting for gay rights. “We are in full favour of the antidiscrimination directive. As a group, AD has always believed in the cause and in all rights for LGBT.”
David Agius said the Nationalist Party believed in equality and rights for all. “However, we still have to discuss our official position as a party,” he said after MaltaToday asked for his opinion with regards to gay marriages and adoption.
Owen Bonnici’s opinion with regards to gay marriages and adoption is that the first step was to build a cohabitation law, which is strong and right for all.
The Graffiti Movement called out for all Maltese LGBT that they need to come out and support each other. Addressing the MPs, a spokesperson for the movement said that being present at the rally is not enough and they need to show their true support when they vote. Sending a message to the families and relatives, the spokesperson said that they need to support their children adding that, “God is far above from religion.”
Miriam Dalli joined MaltaToday.com.mt in 2010 becoming assistant editor f...
Alfred Galea •
Aca, based on your spelling, your grammar and your not understanding what I said, I was wrong about you being a grade one dropout....you're a kindergarten dropout.
I said, pay attention now, that the "gays" can have their union, vow not to part till death and cherish and obey, etc etc, have all the rights that married men and women have, BUT it can't be called a marriage, coz a marriage is between a man and a woman.
As for "discriminating against "gays".....there are numerous laws in the book that says that one cannot discriminate against a person because of his sexual orientation, so the "gays" do not need any more laws, aTHAT covers them.
As for "adopting" or "raising" children....a NORMAL family is a man, a woman as parents. Two "lezzies" or two "gay men" raising children is NOT normal as community standards dictate. For one of your "links" I can find one that says that L&G raising children is harmful to them.
[You think that if gay people stay at home they will get the rights that they currently don't have and the only reason you want them home is because you find them discussing]
If you tell me what you mean by THAT I try and reply.
One more thing.....when it comes to black peole and more rights....do you know what "affirmative action" is??
Carm Cachia •
You still did not explain how discriminating against gay people is ok.
But i regress. I have been arguing on internet long enough to know when any further discussion is futile :)
•
ACA Joe South explained exactly what I meant. They can have any relationship. I have absolutely NO problem with that, but they can never call their relationship a marriage.
Carm Cachia •
http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/resources/parenting-full.pdf
30 years of research conducted by American Psychological Association on long term affects on children of gay parents.
"In summary, there is no evidence to suggest that lesbian
women or gay men are unfit to be parents or
that psychosocial development among children of
lesbian women or gay men is compromised relative
to that among offspring of heterosexual parents. Not
a single study has found children of lesbian or gay
parents to be disadvantaged in any significant respect
relative to children of heterosexual parents."
Respond to this with more than i said so and we'll talk. :)
Carm Cachia •
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay_marriage
Sweden, Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, South Africa & Spain is full of people that are not "normal". After all gays can get married there. In Sweden even in the church, if they chose to do so.
I wont bother listing countries/states that have "separate but equal" policies in place.
Carm Cachia •
You compared ban on gay adoption to ban on criminals adopting. You think that black people somehow managed to gain more rights than other "normal" people. You think that if gay people stay at home they will get the rights that they currently don't have and the only reason you want them home is because you find them discussing. You were given clear examples of how gay people are discriminated against which you deflected with a claim that they want more rights than other have. You keep on claiming that they can not have marriage and all the benefits that go with it and at the same time keep on insisting that they are not discriminated against.
and you call me a drop-out? hillarious.
At least i reached grade one.
That you can not see the resemblance between your "they should mind their own business" comment and Anna Frank should have stayed in the attic analogy makes it even more obvious to me that i would get more meaningful response from a rock .
Alfred Galea •
If you're comparing "gays" with AF or Jews you must have been a grade one dropout.
As for degrees, what TRUTH is trying to tell you, I think, is that MARRIAGE is between a man and a woman, and no matter what the "gays", the courts, the parliament say or rule, it will not change that fact.
The "gays" can have their union, their coupling, their togetherness BUT it will never be a marriage.
They have hijacked the word "gay" already, they won't hijack the word marriage to describe their union.
Carm Cachia •
@ truth
I can have my relationship. I'm happily married father of two (and third on the way). Your assumption that if i don't think like you i must be one of "them" is telling.
I wonder what degree a "normal" person has to obtain in order to have a child? I wonder what university offers courses in marriage for fitting couple only?
I see that you have a lot of words, but not one of them explains why gay people can not have the same right like "normal" people.
But i guess for many "because i say so" is the only one that counts
Carm Cachia •
@ Joe South
and Anne frank should have just stayed in that attic and everything would be fine.
•
Aca, what you are saying is that if you read for a medical doctor's degree you also expect the university to give you also an Architects' Degree, a Lawyers' Degree and all degrees that the university awards to those who have read for their respective course. You do not fit into the equation of a family. You can have your relationship, absolutely no problem, but you cannot call your relationship a marriage and adopt children. Sorry, but you do not qualify for them like you would not qualify for the award of a university degree if you don't read for that degree and you satisfy the conditions for the granting of that degree.
Alfred Galea •
Did I compare them to criminals?? Everybody knows they exist, as a matter of fact there are more straight people working for "gay" rights than there are "gays" themselves.
They remind me of "people of color" in the US, they used to whine that they're discriminated against and that it's always a white man as POTUS, now they have a black man as POTUS and they still whine.
If I were a "gay" person, I wouldn't go about holding signs and marching holding colored balloons, I'll just go about my business coz I'm not any worse than anybody else. That way I won't bring all that attention and everything that goes with it, upon myself.
Carm Cachia •
the point is that they are not treated like the normal people and they need to show that they exist and that they are discriminated against. IF they were treated as "normal" they wouldn't be on the streets.
Are you equalizing gay people to criminals? What crime did they commit & who is the victim of their crime?
Gay people are not asking for nothing else but to be treated the same like anybody else. Not to be more equal than others. That is a right currently reserved for "normal" majority.
Alfred Galea •
I'll try and be brief.....
1. Sons have been told to live on their own even when they weren't "gay".
2. Straight persons have committed suicide coz they failed exams.
3. I used to be mocked coz of my fat belly, which I couldn't hide.
4. People get beaten not just coz they're "gay".
5. God loves "gays" but not their actions......he loves persecutors and deniers and whores and sinners.
I can understand "gays" wanting to be treated as "normal", but what I can't understand is why they want to shove their "sexual orientation" down everybody's throats. They want the freedom to hold hands and kiss in public and I want the freedom to feel disgusted at their actions.
As for civil rights and equality and all that I'm all for it but please don't try to be more equal than others, like the people of color.
•
List of discrimination and prejudiced:-
1. Gay sons and daughter have been told to leave their homes because their parents did not accept them as gay/lesbians.
2. Some gay people did suicide, in fact today during our march a mother spoke to one of us in the group and told us to 'Pray for her son who is gay and did a suicide'
3. Due to prejudice people do mock us around. Bullying is very much linked with those children who have gay tendencies of a young age.
5. Gay people cannot express their identity as easily as heterosexual if you do there is a probability of getting beaten up (at least in Malta)
6. Gay and religion is also another area of hurt and suffering for us. Some end up confused to find a balance between God and themselves. But thanks for Drachma and open minded priests we understand that being gay is normal and God loves everyone.
To understand the complex factor of discrimination against gay people, one needs to study the cycle of prejudiced and speak with people who have experiences of discrimination. If you do not do this you will never understand why minorities, all of them not just us... do marches, speak about rights and yes we make a fool of ourselves with balloons.. at least we have fun and we are strong in what we believe.
Shall I continue with the list? Believe me I can...!!
Alfred Galea •
The english activist was the one who said "we are normal people and we deserve equal rights".......and I was asking why do normal people need "gay" pride week or parade......now just emlighten me please as to why they need this if they're normal people??
Aca, co-habiting brothers and sisters do NOT get a tax break coz they're not "married", people with criminal records cannot adopt children, they don't hold pride weeks or parades. As for inheritance, as long as you've got a will you can leave your inheritance to a cockroach.
Chriswinner, was there ever a time when you was treated as "lesser kind"??If you were, what did you do about it besides making a fool of yourself marching with a bunch of colored balloons in your hand??
There are numerous laws in the books about discriminating about "gay" people. I have yet to read where a "gay" person was discriminated against in Malta. Maybe you and CW can enlighten me.
Carm Cachia •
so they want all the things that, as Joe South call them, "normal" people want but can not have it?
and they are not discriminated against?
Carm Cachia •
why don't you fill me in why gay people are not "normal" ?
Gay people are expected to contribute to the society to the same extent & lever as "normal" people. They pay the same tax & their social security payments are exactly the same.
But, as a "normal" married person, you can pay lower tax rate. As a "normal" person, you can leave your inheritance to your partner. As a "normal" person you can adopt a child. As a "normal" person you can stay with your loved one in hospital as a next of kin.
Gay people are discriminated heavily in this country and they have every right to go out on the street & protest against it.
•
The reason why this pride march happens is because we would like society to remember that we exist. It is an affirmation of who we are. Reading your comments it shows that more and more awareness needs to be held because you lack information of who gay and lesbian people are. It is not about simply saying we are proud of being gay (which we need to say it after a long history of prejudice) but it is also a march to remind you that we are here and it is not justice on our part to be treated of a lesser kind.
•
They want to have their relationship recognized as a marriage which it is not and can never. They want to adopt children which should and must not be allowed. They also want their relationship tp be considered as a marriage so the the surviving spouse will be eligible for the deceased persons's pension. They cannot have the rights if they do not qualify for them and they do not because they can never be considered as married couples. Marriage is only between a man and a woman and not between persons of the same sex. As for leaving each other heirs they can do it.
Alfred Galea •
Why don't you fill me in on why do they have to "go out on the streets" please.
Did they go look for a job, told the interviewer that they were "gay" and were refused a job??
Did they go to buy/rent a house and told the owner that they were "gay" and were refused a house/apartment?
Enlighten me please.
Carm Cachia •
what do you mean by normal people?
and why LGBT people have to go out on the streets is rather obvious.
Alfred Galea •
Why do they need a "gay pride week" and a "gay pride parade"? Normal people do not go around telling everybody that they're "straight" or carry dumb signs like "love is tender, knows no gender".
