Cyrus Engerer: Pride March: Sealed With a Kiss

http://cyrusengerer.com/pride-march-sealed-with-a-kiss/
21.7.10 by Cyrus Engerer

This year's Malta Pride March has come and gone and as every year all political parties sent their representatives, who gave a small speech at the end of the event. How many of these politicians actually walk the talk and talk the walk, is a question that one should ponder on. Another question that arises out of the first question, whether or not should politicians who do not believe in the cause, actually attend the event.

In the past years, we had ample occassions where politicians attend Malta Pride, give a beautiful speech about rights and what they would be willing to do in Palriament (National or European) or within their party, and after barely a few weeks vote in a different way when enacting legislation or speak in public in front of a different audience, in a complete different way. Contradicting all that thet would have said at Pride or infron of the LGBT community.

Should this continue being done? To be fair, this year all three speakers fromt he three different parties were more cautious than usual. However, differences could be seen: there was one who totally believes in equality and invited all to join his party in order to draft the future electoral manifesto together; an other, who although believing in equality had to remain cautious and held back in order not to compromise his party; and the last one, who actually had nothing concrete to say, since his party has no stand at all on the issue so far and is still reluctant to actually discuss it.

What on earth were the representatives of PN and PL doing at the march if they do not support the call RIGHTS NOW! that was being manifested? They were definately not walking their talk and they were not heard talking the walk!

Meanwhile, the media seems to have focused mostly on a kiss that has sealed the march. The fact that there was all this reaction on a kiss confirms that Malta still needs many Pride Marches in the future that continue increasing LGBT visibility in the country. We are making a fuss on a kiss, let alone on legislating marriage equality!