Did you know that Malta’s first ‘Pride March’ was held way back in 2004?
Pride celebrations have undergone some extravagant changes over the last 16 years. The Third Eye is dedicating this article to the commemoration of Pride and the quintessential changes this march of solidarity has implemented into Malta’s attitudes towards the LGBTIQ+ community.
We reached out to Clayton Mercieca for some well-suited insight. He’s the coordinator of Malta Pride and full-time Community Manager of Allied Rainbow Communities (ARC) – an NGO established in 2015 whose mission is to “foster a sense of belonging and growth within the LGBTIQ+ community leading to a positive contribution to general society,” following the motto “Belong, Grow and Contribute.”
Interviewer: What does Pride mean to you?
Clayton: Pride is visibility, a tool for social change, an atmosphere like no other where you feel loved, where you see the beauty of the LGBTIQ community in all their shapes, colour, and sizes.
Interviewer: What kind of changes have you noticed from the Pride marches since their initial local launch in 2004?
Clayton: I was at the first 2004 Pride March as a partially closeted man and been to every other year seeing it growing and gaining traction. It started with very few LGBTIQ activists taking the streets to protest against the injustices that our community still faced. Allies added to the numbers and each year it became a more important occasion to push forward the need for equality.
It really started taking on a celebratory form since 2017 but always giving space to voice out their concerns. From then on, companies and civil society became more visible during Pride and even partnerships increased. In 2019, 8,000 people joined the pride march and concert in Valletta.
Interviewer: What makes Malta’s Pride Month events different from other countries? Do you believe it is commercialised?
Clayton: Well, I don’t think in Malta you can say the Pride March is highly commercialised. Unlike bigger cities abroad, we don’t make any profits and we make sure the LGBTIQ community remains at the centre of what we are doing.
Interviewer: In recent years, it appears that Malta has become far more accepting of LGBTQI+ members. Can you describe what society was like a couple of years back, when more stigma dominated the island?
Clayton: As a millennial, I’ve grown up in a conservative Malta, but it wasn’t as bad as it was for those who are older than me. Coming out was a scary time and you would be constantly assessing your surroundings. Homophobic people basically had the upper hand in feeling righteous, the courts would generally excuse gay-panic defence and the state was never at the forefront of supporting LGBTIQ people.
Many felt exiled and lived abroad where society was more accepting. The only few OUT LGBTIQ people that existed were on the media, and they were usually made fun of and subjected to ridicule. It was the TV talk show Xarabank that began to actually discuss the subject of homosexuality at a National Level. Bullying was rampant at school if you showed feminine traits, many parents disowned their children and showing any affection in public would be looked down upon.
Interviewer: How does it feel to have witnessed such a massive growth and recognition within the community?
Clayton: As someone who took LGBTIQ issues at heart and got involved in organisations since coming out, seeing legislation being changed to become more inclusive was a cautious yet ecstatic feeling. I could recognise the importance of changing legislation but also that some people were vociferously against LGBTIQ people achieving rights. Although nowadays we are closer to achieving 100% equality, as activists we are still very cautious that we can never take for granted what is inherently ours. It just takes one wrong person in power to take us back to the middle ages.
Interviewer: How has the context of ‘coming out’ shifted through the years in Malta?
Clayton: I think many people are coming out at a younger age. With social media, they are finding other LGBTIQ peers and feeling less isolated perhaps. There is more acceptance and support, but I feel that we still have not erased isolation. I think same-sex couples are still not totally comfortable holding hands in public especially amongst the older groups. Social media has also thrown in a dangerous element sometimes of further adding low self-esteem and depression. Nevertheless, I can’t say that LGBTIQ people are not hesitant to come out. It is still a risk for many.
Interviewer: Do you feel that there is more work to be done to break stigma and intolerance? And if so, can you think of any ways this could be done?
Clayton: Yes always. It’s never enough and in every sphere of society. Only last week, we were talking to Lawyers who still think that HIV could be passed by being in the presence of a person living with HIV. I couldn’t believe my ears. Although we are an LGBTIQ community, our likes, aspirations, and journeys in life are very different from one another. We have to make sure that everyone’s freedoms are respected. Bisexuality for example is often thought of as a phase and Pansexuality is not very much understood so we are doing a little online campaign to educate. Trans and Non-Binary individuals are the ones to find the most obstacles and, in that aspect, there needs to be a lot more education and understanding
Interviewer: Is there anything you’d like to say to our readers?
Clayton: Watch Schitt’s Creek (Clayton is a die-hard fan) and appreciate what a society without homophobia would look like! That is our goal.