Category: Local News

Fi stqarrija l-Malta Gay Rights Movement wera l-appoġġ għall-emendi proposti fil-liġi għall-protezzjoni tal-Embrijuni.

L-MGRM qalet li l-emendi għandhom l-għan li jneħħu diskriminazzjoni fil-konfront ta’ koppjji tal-istess sess filwaqt li jippriservaw ċelloli ta’ persuni transesswali.Fl-istess stqarrija, l-MGRM wera wkoll is-solidarjetà tiegħu lejn il-Malta Infertility Network u lejn dawk il-ġenituri prospettivi li jagħmlu dak kollu possibli biex ikollhom l-ulied.

Source: one.com.mt

The Malta LGBTIQ Rights Movement said that children born through IVF are no different than other children, and neither are their parents, irrespective of their gender and sexual orientation 

MGRM showed their support for the proposed amendments to the Embryo Protection Act, and said that the quality of parenting determines the child’s development, rather than the gender or sexual orientation of parents.

In a statement, the Malta LGBTIQ Rights Movement reiterated its support for the proposed amendments to the Embryo Protection Act, “which redress the current discriminatory provisions in relation to same-sex couples and which provide for access to the preservation of gametes for trans persons who choose to undergo gender confirmation surgeries.”

MGRM said it stands in solidary with the Malta Infertility Network, all those parents whose chances of conceiving a child will be enhanced with the new procedures, and with all parents who have had children through IVF or assisted insemination.

“We condemn any statements that portray children born through such methods as being deprived of their rights or the result of a selfish desire,” MGRM said.

“All children, however they are conceived, have no say in how they come into the world and have absolutely no choice as to the family they will be born into. All human beings are fruit of other people’s actions, desires and choices. In this, children born through IVF are no different to other children and neither are their parents.”

The LGBTIQ organisation also contended that research demonstrated that the quality of parenting rather than the gender or sexual orientation of parents is what determines the developmental outcomes and life chances of children.

“It is ridiculous to contend that those who access IVF services should be subject to the same assessment undergone by prospective adoptive or foster parents given that no such hurdle exists for any other category of parents.”

MGRM also said it supports the opening up of IVF to single parents. Single parent families are part of the range of diverse family formations, the organisation said, that form part of our society and single parent adoptions have been part of Malta’s public policy for many years.

The organisation also supported the consideration of altruistic surrogacy which is regulated and provides safeguards to ensure that those who agree to act as surrogates do so willingly and voluntarily. Heterosexual couples are the main beneficiaries of surrogacy worldwide, MGRM said.

“It is a generous act no different to donating a kidney, cerebrospinal fluid or blood, all of which many find commendable. Children born through surrogacy do not suffer any adverse effects. The parental attachment to the child still ensues.”

While MGRM is always in favour of discussion and debate, opposition of a majority over a minority is not a justifiable reason to delay the introduction of measures that address discriminatory provisions, the organisation said. MGRM also said that it was hypocritical to limit access to health services which are widely available to Maltese citizens in other countries but which only those with the necessary financial means can currently avail themselves of.

Source: maltatoday.com.mt

Meta kien qed jitkellem dwar id-drittijiet tal-komunità LGBTIQ, il-Prim Ministru qal li bi sforz kollettiv is-soċjetà Maltija kienet mhux biss bidlet il-liġijiet, imma anki l-kultura u l-pajjiż

Il-Prim Ministru kien qed jitkellem waqt ċerimonja li matulha l-Għaqda Malta Gay Rights Movement varat ktieb bl-isem ta’ ‘A Seat at the Table’, li jiddokumenta l-istorja tal-LGBTIQ f’pajjiżna, u kif din wasslet biex pajjizna llum huwa fuq quddiem nett fid-drittijiet u ligijiet ta’ dan is-settur.

Il-ktieb miktub minn Simon Bartolo jiġbor ukoll pubblikazzjonijiet u anki programmi li saru fuq il-mezzi tax-xandir dwar il-qasam tal-LGBTIQ.

Fid-diskors tiegħu l-Prim Ministru sostna li, minkejja li sar ħafna tibdil, il-ktieb għadu mhuwiex mitmum. Stqarr li għad baqa’ xi jsir, u wissa li l-progress mhuwiex inevitabbli, u jekk ma jkunx sostnut jista’ jaqa’ lura.

Dr Muscat qal li riformi oħra li se jkun qed jagħmel il-pajjiż huma dwar l-IVF, li dwarhom jinsab lest għal diskussjoni diffiċli li iżda qal hemm bżonnha biex il-pajjiż verament ikun ugwali għal kulħadd.

Source: tvm.com.mt

A consultation document was launched on Friday aimed at providing specialized healthcare for transgender people.

Health Minister Chris Fearne was quick to point out that while transgender people suffer the same ailments as anybody else, additional specific needs do arise such as hormone therapy and gender affirmation care.

Fearne said that the health department is keen to provide specialized training to Malta’s doctors so that they may provide the best care for their transgender patients.

Source: independent.com.mt

L-awtoritajiet tas-saħħa f’Malta qed jippjanaw li jibdew joffru servizzi lil persuni transgender biex fost oħrajn jirrefermaw l-identità tal-ġeneru tagħhom. Il-moviment tal-persuni LGBTIQ kien ilu jħabbrek biex wara l-avvanzi li saru fl-aħħar snin fid-drittijiet tal-persuni b’orjentazzjoni sesswali varji, l-awtoritajiet tas-saħħa jirrikonoxxu d-dritt għal servizzi tas-saħħa għalihom. Huwa f’dan l-isfond li d-deputat Prim Ministru Chris Fearne nieda dokument ta’ konsultazzjoni pubblika dwar servizzi tas-saħħa speċjalizzati li jistgħu jiġu introdotti għal persuni transgender.

Fit-tnedija tal-konsultazzjoni pubblika, il-Ministru tas-Saħħa Chris Fearne qal li waqt li persuni trans ikollhom ħtiġijiet mediċi bħal oħrajn, hemm sitwazzjonijiet fejn ikunu jeħtieġ servizzi li s’issa għadhom mhux offruti. Dr Fearne qal li ma’ esperti barranin fosthom mill-Iżlanda, il-Gvern ħejja pjan ta’ servizz ħolsitiku tas-sahha għal persuni trans.

Il-Ministru Fearne qalet li “se nkunu qed inżidu servizzi bħal servizzi ta’ hormone replacement jew hormone therapy, bħal servizzi ta’ kirurġija, bħal servizzi ta’ counselling, u b’dan il-mod se nkunu qed innaqssu d-diskriminazzjoni anke kontra persuni trans.”

Il-Ministru Fearne qal li d-Dipartiment tas-Saħħa ser iħarreġ lit-tobba Maltin f’din it-trattament speċjalizzat għal pazjenti trans skont standards internazzjonali.

Dr Natasha Azzopardi Muscat, waħda mill-awturi tad-dokument konsultattiv, qalet li l-pjan jaħseb biex is-servizzi tas-saħħa f’Malta jkunu inklussivi għal persuni trans.

“Qed naraw kif nistgħu naħdmu biex is-servizzi tas-saħħa b’mod ġenerali jkunu aktar friendly u welcoming għal persuni trans biex ma jgħaddux minn esperjenza ħażina għax ikollhom jagħmlu kuntatt mas-servizz tas-saħħa” qalet Dr Azzopardi Muscat.

Dr Azzopardi Muscat qalet li hemm l-idea li ikun hemm klinika apposta b’tim ta’ professjonsiti biex joffru appoġġ psiko-soċjali għal persuni li jitolbu trattamenti tal-ormoni jew proċeduri kiruġiċi fl-organi tal-generu tagħhom.

Dwar tfal u adolexxenti li jesprimu x-xewqa li jgħixu f’ġeneru differenti minn dak li twieldu bih, Dr Azzopardi Muscat qalet li dawn għandhom jingħataw attenzjoni partikolari biex jiġu mgħejuna kemm it-tfal kif ukoll il-ġenituri biex ikunu evtitati riperkussjonijiet. Il-konsultazzjoni pubblika ser tibqa’ għaddejja sas-sitta ta’ Ġunju.

Source: tvm.com.mt

Malta will be one of just six countries to provide holistic transgender services, as government launches document on transgender healthcare for public consultation

A consultation document on transgender healthcare is expected to make Malta one of just six countries to make health services trans-inclusive and offer trans people full medical and psycho-social care.

Health minister Chris Fearne said the government will provide training to Malta’s healthcare professionals in undertaking procedures which trans people might need but which are not currently being offered through the public health service.

“We will be offering specific health services, but we don’t see trans people as having a medical condition. They have certain circumstances which are particular to them, and they could require access to special services which are not available in our country at the moment,” Fearne said. “This includes hormone therapy for young and old people, and a holistic gender identity service.”

Transgender people are people with a sexual identity that differs from the gender they are born with.

The public consultation process lasts until till 6 June, to be followed with a final document based on the outcome of the discussions.

“This is a big step which will affect a small part of our society in an important way. The process is at its start – we have the document, but we then have to implement it,” Fearne said.

Public health consultant Dr Natasha Azzopardi Muscat said the policy would make health services trans-inclusive and non-discriminatory toward trans people, and develop services helping such persons achieve a gender they were happy with through gender-affirming surgery.

“Care for this section of people will be given through a multi-disciplinary team equipped to provide the whole gamut of necessary services, including surgical, psychological and social,” she said.

The policy will also explore the possibility of offering certain very specialised services in partnership with other countries. “There is no one-size-fits-all service – they have to be adapted for the particular individual,” Azzopardi Muscat said.

Research has shown transgender people have a greater chance of suffering from lack of well-being and depression. “Trans people are often hesitant to turn to the health service, because they fear not being understood or having a bad experience. This is wrong. We are working with other countries on development goals, and we cannot leave behind this sector of society.”

Azzopardi Muscat said the government also plans to give special attention to children and young people who were increasingly looking into such services.