Category: Articles

Malta MEP Elections 2024 – A Guide for LGBTIQ+ voters & allies

June 6, 2024

The European elections are nearing, and we’ve collected information you might find useful to inform your choices this Saturday.

There is also a free tool we found on Times of Malta that helps you match your views with the main local and European parties. https://euandi.eu/en/survey/european-elections.html

The European elections and LGBTIQ Rights

We contacted various local candidates contesting the EU elections, asking them to protect the rights of LGBTI people as future elected members of the European Parliament, by signing the “Come Out 4 Europe” pledge.

The upcoming European Parliament elections will be a pivotal moment for the future of the EU. As we witness the rise of political forces that question or attack freedom, basic fundamental rights and democracy, it is a time when we must all pull together for the Europe we want to see.

Is it just about LGBTIQ rights?

LGBTIQ rights do not exist in a bubble, and apart from intersecting with other groups (disability, age, ethnicity to name a few), LGBTIQ persons should also enjoy other fundamental rights. These include the right to healthcare (general as well as sexual and reproductive healthcare), freedom of movement, asylum, education, freedom of expression, and freedom from discrimination amongst many others. Any work at EU or national level to hinder or roll back any human rights will affect the LGBTIQ community in Malta and across Europe too. Our country is the ‘top’ in LGBTIQ rights in Europe, but our rights can be taken away much faster than they were achieved.

Who pledged to protect LGBTIQ Rights?

24 candidates have signed the “Come Out 4 Europe” pledge.

We are aware that some candidates or their political parties in government have pledged to protect LGBTIQ rights, while they have made comments, proposed or incorporated policies/legislation that negatively impact our community and other areas which affect LGBTIQ persons, such as trans and gender diversity, asylum and reproductive healthcare. We will continue to monitor local and EU level discourse, to hold candidates and their political parties accountable to our community for their work.

Independents

Arnold Cassola, James Ryder Muscat

ADPD (4 candidates)

Sandra Gauci, Ralph Cassar, Mina Jack Tolu, Rachelle Deguara

Volt Malta (1 candidate)

Matthias Iannis Portelli

Partit Laburista (9 candidates)

Thomas Bajada, Steve Ellul, Clint Azzopardi Flores, Claudette Abela Baldacchino, Jesmond Marshall, Jesmond Bonello, Marija Sara Vella Gafa, Daniel Attard, Alex Agius Saliba

Partit Nazzjonalista (8 candidates)

Miriana Calleja Testaferrata de Noto, Norma Camilleri, David Casa, Roberta Metsola, Louise Anne Pulis, Peter Agius, David Agius, Lee Bugeja Bartolo

Who did not pledge to protect LGBTIQ Rights?

Partit ABBA

Ivan Grech Mintoff, Antonia Gauci

Imperium Europa

Norman Lowell, Terence Portelli

Independent Candidates

Noel Apap, Malcolm Bezzina, Nazzareno Bonici, Conrad Borg Manche, Alexander D’Agata, Radu Gheorge, George Grixti, Stephen Florian, Simon Mercieca, Edwin Vassallo, Adrian Zammit

Manifestos of parties whose members signed the pledge

Please note the points below do not reflect the full manifestos, but we are listing keywords that stood out. We encourage voters to be analytical, and compare pledges made with the track record of the party or candidate.

Partit Laburista

Malta first, peace and neutrality, economic competitiveness, climate change, immigration, strengthen connectivity, Gozo, European funds, agriculture & fisheries, future of the EU

See manifesto https://issuu.com/partitlaburista/docs/0806_mep_elections_en

Partit Nazzjonalista

European funds, public transport and alternative modes of transport, the environment as a human right, strengthening democracy and rule of law, Gozo, youths, support farmers, herdsmen and fishermen

See manifesto https://pn.org.mt/?r3d=programm-elettorali

ADPD

The environment (climate change, cleaner modes of transport, pollution and more), education, healthcare, mental health, economy, anti-corruption and strengthening democracy, equality and protection of human rights (including LGBTIQ and asylum seekers), AI, freedom of the press, cooperation and peace in the EU, trade.

See Manifesto https://adpd.mt/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ADPD-Its-in-your-interest-to-go-Green.docx.pdf

Volt

(Volt is part of a European-wide group with a very detailed manifesto. The below summarises the main points.)

Prosperity of the EU, foreign affairs and defence, green economy, quality of life, anti-discrimination and promoting inclusivity, employment, fighting tax evasion, family planning and inclusive reproductive rights, community social solidarity, mental health, affordable housing, workers’ rights, asylum seeker rights, migration, reform of the EU, anti-corruption, protecting democracy, freedom of press, climate change, renewable and clean energy, sustainability, the environment

See manifesto https://volteuropa.org/storage/pdf/eu-elections-2024/volt-eur-electoral-moonshot-program_v5-final-(1).pdf

Arnold Cassola

Environment & nature (regulating development, access to public coasts, renewable energy, zero plastic, waste collection and more), good governance (rule of law, transparency etc), equal pay for equal work, improvement of minimum wage, youths (investment in sports and programmes, research and innovation, equal opportunities)

See manifesto https://arnoldcassola.eu/en/manifesto/

James Ryder Muscat

James Ryder Muscat’s manifesto is not published, however from statements made in the run up to the election, he is proposing an alternative under the slogan of ‘we’ve had worse’. James has also pledged support for LGBTIQ and reproductive rights.

Notable comments made by non-signing candidates

Partit ABBA

Partit ABBA has made various comments in the past that indicate their leaning to a conservative right-wing approach to politics. Members of ABBA describe themselves and their politics as Christian, which is a position that is largely critical of equal rights for LGBTIQ individuals.

Ivan Grech Mintoff declared on a debate on TVM that he would resign from Partit ABBA and that he would sue the Secretary General of the party for libel. This position seemed to have changed on Thursday 6 June, when Grech Mintoff suddenly promoted Partit ABBA and its other candidate, Antonia Gauci, on his facebook page.

Imperium Europa

Imperium Europa has been described as a ‘neo-fascist’ party, however this claim cannot be clearly confirmed when reading the manifesto of the party. In 2013, Norman Lowell was found guilty of inciting racial hatred.

The manifesto is laden with very neutral language with unclear references to LGBTIQ rights. The only pledge made states that the party is in favour of: ‘Reversing policies based on social construct and recognising the age-old two genders: male and female, while ensuring that homosexual persons are treated equally and with respect.’

Edwin Vassallo

Edwin Vassallo used to be a PN MP up till a few years ago. Having failed to be elected in the latest election, he is now an independent candidate. Vassallo was the only MP to vote against marriage equality in 2017, voted against a gender-based and domestic violence bill in 2018 and in 2019 he famously shared a post in which he warned his followers that someone was ‘injecting fruits with blood containing HIV and AIDS’. Vassallo later apologised for sharing the post. It is worth noting that the HIV virus does not survive outside of the human body. AIDS is a syndrome caused by untreated HIV, so it cannot be spread.

Conrad Borg Manche

Conrad Borg Manche is the mayor of Gzira and previously represented the Partit Laburista from which he resigned in 2023. Borg Manche describes himself as a politician with socialist values. Borg Manche was amongst a group of people who criticised a 2023 EuroPride event in which a drag queen was amongst a line of dancers teaching a dance routine for people including children who voluntarily attended. Therapists specialising in sexual developments debunked the myth, stating that events such as this help children become ‘more tolerant and remove prejudices’

On Wednesday 5 June 2024, Borg Manche declared that if elected he would join the European Conservative and Reformist Group in Parliament. As the name implies, the policies of the group are extremely conservative, and all its members so far include right-wing and far-right politicians, such as Marine Le Pen in France and Giorgia Meloni in Italy.

In a post on his facebook page, Borg Manche shared the group’s position on LGBTIQ rights, seemingly endorsing them. Amongst others, the post stated that the group is critical of ‘proactive politics and laws’ because they promote ‘special rights for the LGBTIQ community, which could discriminate against other groups’. In reply to comments under this post, Borg Manche stated that he is in favour of civil liberties, but then adding that there is an ‘imbalance’ with respect to the ‘family’.

On EuroPride and the concept of Pride as a Protest

June 27, 2023

by General Mgrm

The Malta LGBTIQ Rights Movement (MGRM) understands the concerns raised by individuals and organisations regarding the government’s position on abortion. On behalf of our committee and our members, we attended and spoke at the Parliamentary Committee against the proposed amended Bill 28 on Monday afternoon. Mere hours later we attended a EuroPride announcement at Castille Square. The irony is not lost on us. In fact, that our participation in EuroPride-related events would raise questions in the circumstances is not a surprise, since it is also a dilemma we have also faced internally.

We feel that withdrawing from EuroPride would not be a productive strategy in our efforts to promote change and advancements of human rights. EuroPride is a platform that can be utilised to create spaces for critical discussions and apply pressure on governments to address a range of pressing human rights issues.

At this juncture we will repeat a clarification we have made many times before. MGRM is not an organiser of EuroPride, which is not to say that we wash our hands of any responsibility. In fact we plan to actively participate in the event and support the Allied Rainbow Communities (ARC) fully with respect to this important event. When ARC approached us to ask if we were willing to support their bid for Europride 2023, we were, and remain glad to do so. This however adds to the responsibility which we feel we owe ARC, their members, and our own members. Pulling out now risks the success of the hard work which volunteers within our community have put into this event, and that would be completely contrary to what we stand for.

Pride is and will always be a protest against injustice and inequality. Pride does not belong to the government or any other entity. It does not belong to us or any of the NGOs. It is a platform that belongs to the community, championing solidarity, inclusivity, and progress of our community. By maintaining our presence at EuroPride, we can continue to challenge the government’s positions on various issues, including abortion, and push for a positive change.

Throughout our 22-year history, we have never hesitated to speak out against infringements of human rights. Our recent alliance with the Voice for Choice coalition demonstrates our unwavering commitment to challenging the status quo on reproductive rights. This is in addition to our advocacy with respect to inclusion, education, sexual health, anti-discrimination in the provision of goods and services, sex workers’ rights, pinkwashing, asylum seekers, migrants, and refugees. We will not compromise on either of these principles which we feel strongly about.

We will ensure that our participation in EuroPride, like in every Pride March before it ever since our first march in 2004, will serve to raise awareness and advocate for a comprehensive range of rights, including reproductive rights at a local and international level. The community dialogues we have planned, and every discussion we will chair will be a platform through which we demand accountability and foster meaningful dialogue. All our planned events focus on the creation of safe spaces that are completely free, accessible, inclusive, and which act as a platform for dialogue and conversation on various topics, including abortion and reproductive rights.

We remain open to criticism and suggestions that help us grow and mature, whilst appreciating the ongoing support of our members and our allies.

Call for Curator – Katya

March 18, 2022

by General Mgrm

Alongside a publication, this year we will be celebrating Katya Saunders’ life through an exhibition, visualizing her story through her fashion, photographs and mementos.

Being one of the first trans women in Malta, Katya Saunders was a trailblazer and an icon for Malta’s LGBTIQ+ movement. Katya was better known for her iconic fashion, modelling experience and cabaret performances but when she passed away in 2019, it quickly emerged there was more than meets the eye.In absence of voluntary organisations, and at a time when trans identities remained controversial, Katya quickly created her own support system, sheltering friends and young people who became homeless. Through her actions, her friends insist that Katya metaphorically laid down the red carpet for today’s LGBTIQ scene, to be able to safely come out and live their lives.

MGRM has also secured the support of Katya’s friends and family, which will give this project a complete picture.

Aims of the project

The exhibition aims to celebrate and immortalise Katya’s life and fashion, whilst unveiling the story of an important figure in local LGBTIQ history. Friends and family of Katya donated her belongings to MGRM, including photographs, several gowns, jewellery, shoes, and accessories. While doing so, the exhibition will also highlight the impact she left on the local LGBTIQ+ community.

Terms of Reference

– To determine, after consulting the MGRM’s team, the content and form of the exhibition.

– To collect and gather material from Katya’s loved ones, and suggest new content when needed.

– To work closely with the author of the publication, and any videographer or photographer, in order to strengthen the curatorial concept, interlinking both aspects of the project.

– To bear in mind the context of the exhibition and where it is to be held.

– Coordinate with MGRM’s team and provide critical input to the exhibition project as well as collect key information and media materials.

– Attend openings and assist with set up/takedown, greet visitors, and communicate about the exhibition.

– Attend discussions/talks in order to bring more online visibility to the exhibition

– In this and all of its projects, MGRM prioritises sustainability and would request that choices and decisions made are not detrimental to the environment.

Eligibility Criteria

Bidders must submit a CV, a quotation, and portfolio with relevant curatorial experience while also demonstrating the ability to produce the work being contracted to the high quality being sought.

Selection Criteria

– Quality of Portfolio presented

– Knowledge of LGBTIQ issues and LGBTIQ affirmative approach

– Technical and Financial Bid

Budget

Maximum funding available is of Eur 1,000 inclusive of VAT.

Intellectual Property

All intellectual property rights belong to MGRM, and the respective donors of Katya Saunders’ materials.

Subcontracting

Individuals may propose working jointly with one or more persons given the tight deadlines envisaged. This must be clearly stated in their submission. Bidders are to attach CV’s of each expert.

Following the adjudication, any subcontracting to third parties other than the selected service provider/s needs to be approved in writing by MGRM other than for technical elements such as translations or proof reading.

Bids are to be sent to MGRM on mgrm@maltagayrights.org. For any queries, please contact Robert Attardon +356 99255559. Deadline is 1st April 2022.

Timeline

Call Deadline Application	1st April 2022
Contract of selected service provider	8th April 2022

Provisional Timeline

Gathering data and merging of data	29^th April 2022
Presentation ideas of a possible artistic concept for the exhibition	6^th May 2022
Final draft/ decision of the artistic concept	17^th June 2022
Selection of resources	8^th July 2022
Printing and framing	5^th August 2022
Exhibition set up	30 – 31^st August 2022
Exhibition	2^nd – 11^th September 2022

This project has been funded through the Voluntary Organisations Project Scheme managed by the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector.

2022 Electoral Manifestos – LGBTIQ Proposals

March 14, 2022

by General Mgrm

As LGBTIQ persons, we are defined by more than our sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics. Being an LGBTIQ organisation, we sought to highlight those proposals made by all parties* in their electoral manifestos which directly impact LGBTIQ rights, or which formed part of the Coalition’s Election Proposals.

This document emphasises proposals made, and is not an endorsement of any political party.

Finally, we feel that casting our vote in general elections brings our year-round activism to a full circle. We urge you to do the same.

You can download the document by clicking here.

*Other parties whose mission fundamentally differs from MGRM’s are not included in this document.

Celebrating 20 Years of Trailblazing

February 22, 2022

by General Mgrm

Malta LGBTIQ Rights Movement celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2021. To celebrate this significant moment, an exhibition was held showcasing MGRM’s activism throughout the past 20 years, and to show its contribution to the transformation seen in the LGBTIQ+ rights in Malta over the last two decades.

Besides the exhibition, MGRM published a book to celebrate and document the work we have done in the past two decades. The book celebrates the advocacy, support and power of volunteering, and the role that volunteers have in making Malta a more inclusive society.

The book includes pictures from the early years of MGRM, to moments of supporting the community and a timeline of key dates in Malta’s Road to LGBTIQ equality. Although most of the work MGRM does is not recorded, these moments are. And we are very excited that these moments will forever be available to share with our members.

If you would like to get this book, you can pick it up for free at the MGRM library (open every Tuesday & Thursday from 3 pm-6 pm), or we can send it to you for €20,- (only delivering in Malta)

PLAN - PRICE

Description

BUY NOW

Pickup

Pickup the book:

from our offices in Mosta,

Tuesday and Thursday

from 3-6 pm

For Free

Order

Postage Malta

Cost of postage in

Malta:

€20

Order

Postage + Donation

Book postage plus Donation:

€20 + €5

Order

Trans People in Sport

June 23, 2021

by General Mgrm

Trans weightlifter Laurel Hubbard has met the strict eligibility standards set by the International Olympic Committee and the New Zealand Olympic Committee, and was selected to compete at the upcoming Olympics. This created an international debate on whether trans people, particularly women, hold an unfair advantage. Science shows that this advantage does not exist. We will try to explain why.

A familiar topic

What we are seeing around us mirrors what happened decades ago. Rooted in racism, everyone was fed the belief that white people were intellectually superior, and black people (with all the different ethnicities that fall under it) had an athletic advantage. A self fulfilling prophecy that was created not because black people in general had a genetic advantage, but brought about due to the limited opportunities that such communities had. Throughout the years, even up to this day, people have justified the success of black people in certain sports disciplines by saying that they have a biological advantage. The socioeconomic situation that led to that success is ignored. And as happened in the past, nowadays we see that any success enjoyed by a trans woman athlete is attributed solely to their supposed genetic advantage.

In the meantime, the International Olympic Committee set its first guidelines for trans athletes back in 2003. Between 2003 and now, there were minor changes, the last being in 2015. It took eighteen years for a trans athlete to both meet the criteria and qualify. This is an indication that the argument might be much smaller than it seems.

DNA and XX/XY chromosomes

All these things determine the sex that you’re born as, but they don’t really do much else. They have no effect on our everyday life, because biological processes are mostly determined by the endocrine (and nervous) system. And these hormones released by the endocrine glands can generally be ‘controlled’.

Sex hormones

Referring to a trans woman’s body as a male body is incorrect. Uninformed people vastly underestimate how significant these hormones are. Biologically, a trans woman’s body (who undergoes medical transition) functions as a female body. In trans women, if testosterone is properly suppressed, attributes that are generally associated with male strength are very quickly lost, and other things like fat percentage increase in line with female values. Within a few months, bodybuilders can look like they barely ever stepped inside a gym, even if they maintain a certain level of training. And that muscle mass isn’t getting rebuilt as long as hormone levels are maintained. However, in some people it can take longer for muscle mass to significantly diminish, and this is where it might be fair to examine whether the current IOC guidelines should be amended. At the moment, with our limited level of research in this field, it seems like the current framework is correct, as the athletic ability of trans women is far closer to that of cis women than cis men.

Bone structure and other things that do not change with the suppression of testosterone

Firstly, women (and people in general) come in all shapes and sizes. There are cis women with narrow hips, wide shoulders, tall women, short women, and the list goes on. Do we exclude certain cis women from sports because of their shape? Bone density is higher in trans women who have had the effects of testosterone, but those bones need muscle to move, muscle which is diminished through a lack of testosterone. Not only is this not an advantage for trans woman, but it could potentially be a disadvantage when compared to cis women. Hating on a trans woman because they have a deep voice, body hair, and look more masculine (permanent effects of exposure to testosterone) only shows that people are afraid of anyone who doesn’t fit their gender stereotypes.

But VO2 max and lactate threshold and…

Back to our historical context. All of these little arguments was made about black people so you are likely falling in the same trap. We all know that was not right now. or so we hope.

Being trans is unnatural

Instead of producing sex hormones themselves, trans people have to get theirs from an external source. The food we eat, medicines we take, and pretty much everything we do in life is unnatural. Trans people are just as natural and biological as everyone else, and claiming otherwise is dehumanising.

Place trans people in a different category

Sports have never been fair. This is a ridiculous suggestion as human physiological and morphological variance has always been an accepted part of sport. No two people are the same, so should we have categories for age, height, weight, limb length, and whatever else people want to categorise? That’s how you can eliminate unfairness in sport, and it’s also how you end up with no competition as every single person will fall under a different category. Or do we only want to exclude an already marginalised and misunderstood population because we dislike anyone who’s different?

Enough with the hypotheticals

Stop reading (and sharing) disingenous articles about trans athletes who’s main purpose is to create an unfounded fear of trans people. Stop cherry-picking research that you didn’t even read (or understand). Stop claiming that trans women are or will be dominating women’s sports. Where do you see this happening? Trans people have been around and allowed to compete (following certain rules) for many years now. Every few years, whenever a trans athlete makes the headlines (because we only care about trans people when they win something), everyone starts heralding the apocalypse, and yet, we’ve never seen a trans woman be the best in any sport, let alone dominating enough that no other woman has a chance at competing. Men do have a significant advantage over women in pretty much every sport. Trans women, however, do not.

Trans men

Trans male athletes exist, but we hear less about them for various reasons. Firstly, society and media is obsessed with women and their bodies. Trans women have always received much more attention because we still live in a misogynistic society where being male is superior. Secondly, environmental effects, wherein trans men who grew up as girls are less likely to take sport seriously because of gender stereotypes. Thirdly, nowadays most people transition in their 20s, and then they have to wait for the effects of testosterone, train, and bulk up, always playing catchup with cis men, so they don’t win (also because men’s sports are much more saturated). Comparatively, trans women are ‘going backwards’ in athletic ability, which is easier.

Fear and prejudice

For the vast majority of people, when they think of a trans athlete, they think of a hulking testosterone filled man who one day just decides to compete against women because it’s easy. Whenever anyone does that, all they’re doing is showing how uninformed and hateful they are, because to them, a trans person will never be anything but their assigned gender. This is an issue that goes beyond sport, and the topic of trans athletes is used to disguise general transphobia.

Different opinions

Having different opinions about this topic and discussing the research related to it is good. However, most people I’ve seen commenting about it are unable to do so without resorting to insults and misgendering of trans people.

Remember that typically, trans women use the female pronouns She/Her, whilst trans men use the pronouns He/Him.

Whether you like it or not, trans people are here to stay, in sport and every other aspect of society.

Acting on the Margins – Arts as Social Sculpture

August 21, 2020

by General Mgrm

MGRM and HIV Malta in collaboration with a research team from the University of Malta is conducting a study that aims to explore the stigma of people living with HIV in Malta and in this way, demystify issues related to HIV. The main objective of this study is to increase awareness of this significant social issue through collaboration with MGRM, people affected with HIV and artists.

You are invited to complete an anonymous online survey, which is expected to take approximately 10 minutes. Your participation in this study is voluntary, and does not involve any known or anticipated risks. You are free to stop participating at any time without any consequences. You may also choose to partially complete any question before moving on to the next one. Before you submit the survey, you may review and modify your answers.

You will find information on further participation in this study at the end of the survey.

Please complete the survey by 25th August 2020

Please click on this link to take the survey LINK:

https://www.surveylab.com/pageTag/SurveyCampaign/cId/f0281f9e2326d8c571e5dd43843fb64b9e6a9102bd/

We sincerely value your participation and we will provide access to a report of findings from this study through the MGRM website.

Mapping the Rainbow

May 21, 2020

by General Mgrm

Mapping the Rainbow is a collection of research conducted in undergraduate, masters and doctoral degrees which focus on LGBTIQ related issues. The publication is a collaboration between MGRM, The Human Rights Directorate and the Department of Gender Studies and Sexualities and the Europe Direct Information Centre of the University of Malta

Amongst others, the studies deal with Non-Conformity and Institutions, Social Issues and Education.

The publication is edited by Dr Marceline Naudi and Dr Claire Azzopardi Lane.

We have got a small number of printing publications which we are distributing for free, but we are asking you to cover the shipping costs. We encourage you to donate to MGRM in order to cover our costs for this and other projects on which we are constantly working. Alternatively, you may wish to download your free eBook by clicking the button below.

Order a physical copy

Download eBook

No one should be left without a home

April 4, 2020

by General Mgrm

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted our day-to-day lives unlike anything else in living memory. As we heed to the authorities’ message to self-isolate and stay at home, more and more people are losing their income and becoming increasingly unable to pay rent. Although many landlords have been able to lower the price of rent, this is not a reality for everyone.

MGRM, Allied Rainbow Communities, Checkpoint Malta, and LGBTI+ Gozo have received messages from people in distress who are either losing their homes, or else have become homebound in unsafe places which they are unable to leave. Unfortunately all the rooms and apartments which we had been offered to us before the pandemic started are already full. This highlights how acute the situation is, whilst leaving us without option but to turn away people.

For this reason, the four NGOs have joined forces to seek to find accommodation for people at risk, or who have already become homeless. If you are able to accommodate someone temporarily whilst the pandemic crisis is ongoing, we would like to invite you to fill this form through which we hope to build a database of vacant places that can be used for altruistic purposes – https://forms.gle/7jVjVUwa8o6evGi4A

If you do not have a room or a place to offer, but would still like to help, you may donate using the below bank details or by using PayPal. The fund is administered by the Malta LGBTIQ Rights Movement, however all funds will be jointly managed by all four NGOs. Any funds remaining after the crisis will be donated to an external charity chosen jointly between the four NGOs.

If you are not living in a safe home, reach out to any one of us and we will do our utmost to help you.

We are jointly appealing to the nation to support those who need our help.

Bank Details

Account Name – MGRM
Bank name – HSBC Bank Malta PLC
BIC – MMEBMTMT
IBAN – MT21MMEB44613000000061249785050

Paypal

LGBTIQ Experiences in Paceville

January 16, 2020

by General Mgrm

At the end of October 2019, the Malta LGBTIQ Rights Movement (MGRM) launched an online questionnaire to obtain more knowledge about the experiences of people from the LGBTIQ community in Paceville, Malta’s entertainment and club Mecca.

The initiative to conduct this study was primarily instigated by media reports claiming that members of the LGBTIQ community were being treated unfairly, harassed or refused to be served because of their gender identity, sexual orientation or gender non-conforming appearance and/or behaviour. Furthermore, through its interaction within the LGBTIQ community, it is not uncommon for the members of the community to speak to members of MGRM of their negative experiences in Paceville.

MGRM has received 210 responses from the entire spectrum of the LGBTIQ Community. Based on those responses, we are making a series of five recommendations which are intended to improve the security not just of the members of the LGBTIQ community but also that of every patron who frequents Paceville.

Download the full report by clicking the link below.

LGBTIQ Experiences in Paceville Download