http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pR9gyloyOjM
Showing posts with label Terminal illness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Terminal illness. Show all posts
Friday, 28 September 2012
Sunday, 31 October 2010
EU Observer: Finnish woman reveals sad state of EU rights for same-sex families
http://euobserver.com/22/31147
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The European Commission says that existing EU law on freedom of movement gives adequate protection to same-sex couples. But the story of one family living in Paris shows how a mixture of confusion and prejudice is stripping some EU citizens of basic rights.
Kaisa, a 37-year-old Finnish journalist, has lived with her partner Claire, a French webmaster, since 1998. The two mothers (not their real names) have a four-year-old son and a 10-year-old daughter born to Kaisa via artificial insemination. In legal terms, they registered their civil union under French law in 2004. Claire also has joint custody, giving her the right, for example, to visit her children in hospital in the event of an accident.
Kaisa: 'For them what matters is that they have two parents, two mums - they have been born into this. It's simple. It's obvious' (Photo: Drab Makyo)
That is where the family's rights end.
If Kaisa died suddenly, the French state would take away Claire's children. If Kaisa left Claire, the French woman would have no right to ever see them again. On the other side of the relationship, if Claire died, her children would have to pay a whopping 60 percent inheritance tax because in legal terms, they are strangers. If Claire left Kaisa, she would have no obligation to pay alimony.
"For our children, our family exists independent of what the law says. For them what matters is that they have two parents, two mums. They have been born into this. It's simple. It's obvious. They don't care about recognition in law. That may come later on," Kaisa told this website. "For us, as long as we don't have any problems, things can move along smoothly. But if there was conflict, tension, between us - these issues would be brought in very quickly."
The immediate problem for Claire and Kaisa is not one of anti-gay prejudice but one of legal confusion.
In order to win normal rights, Claire must adopt the children. As her son and daughter are Finnish citizens, this is possible only through second-parent adoption in Finland. But Finnish authorities do not recognise French same-sex unions and refuse to grant second-parent adoption to French-registered same-sex parents. If Claire and Kaisa had lodged their union in Belgium, the Netherlands or Spain, the Finnish courts could rubber-stamp the adoption because Finland does recognise same-sex unions from a handful of other EU states.
"From Finland there is no prejudice as such. They just don't know what to do - they are sticking to some kind of abstract guidelines. It's crazy there are so many different versions of national legislation and no mutual recognition everywhere in the European Union," Kaisa said.
In order for Claire to adopt, the family would have to negotiate a legal maze: Kaisa would have to dissolve her French union; move to Finland for at least six months; register there for tax purposes; register a new civil union under Finnish law; register the adoption; move back to France and obtain French recognition of the Finnish union and adoption package.
If the family moved to another EU country, the whole set-up could unravel. In terms of anti-gay prejudice, their rights would never be recognised in conservative countries such as Italy or Poland. If they were on holiday in a country such as Malta and one family member suffered an accident, there is no certainty that the others would have any hospital visiting rights at all.
Meanwhile, heterosexual families take all rights for granted from the day of their marriage from Dublin to Nicosia.
Asked by EUobserver if the status quo violates Kaisa's rights under the EU Treaty clause of freedom of movement and the Charter of Fundamental Rights on non-discrimination, the commission gave a boilerplate answer.
Citing a 2004 directive on freedom of movement, it said in a statement that: "The directive provides for the right of entry and residence for EU citizens and their family members regardless of the issue of recognition of marriages or partnerships. It is for member states to decide whether they provide in their internal legal order for same-sex unions."
It added that: "It is clear that union citizens, who live in a legally recognised marriage or registered partnership, should be able to maintain their status and their rights under union law when they move from one member state to another." It also noted that a new Action Plan in 2013 will look to: "facilitating free movement of documents and recognition of the effects of certain civil status documents (e.g. relating to birth, affiliation, adoption or name)."
The Brussels-based gay-rights group, ILGA-Europe, does not accept the argument.
"We cannot agree with the commission that the Freedom of Movement Directive is already tackling the gaps. Many same-sex partners are in fact opting not to travel and reside in a number of EU countries due to the implications that non-recognition of their marriages or registered partnerships has on their lives," it said in a statement in September.
What ILGA-Europe and Kaisa see behind the commission's stance is an unwillingness to tackle the politically explosive issue of enforcing liberal same-sex norms in conservative eastern or southern EU states.
As a journalist herself, Kaisa can imagine the headlines: 'EU imposes gay adoption on Poland.'
"It is a controversial subject, which forces people to say whether they are for or against same-sex unions. But in a way it's not about these theoretical discussions at all. These families already exist in Europe - if they are recognised by one country, they should be recognised by another, because non-recognition has very concrete consequences for people's lives," she said.
"It's about freedom of movement, about a founding principle of the EU. So what's more important for the commission - protecting its principles or making sure it doesn't make certain member states angry?"
Monday, 5 April 2010
MaltaToday: Gays and Straight – equal in the eyes of the State
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/2010/04/04/claudine.html
4.4.10 by Claudine Cassar
The Social Affairs Committee is currently discussing a bill to regulate cohabitation. The members of the committee are open to suggestion and are currently asking for feedback from the public, so much so that Edwin Vassallo said: “We are conducting this exercise with a very open mind and we are not excluding anyone. We want to listen to feedback from everyone, including cohabiting sisters, couples of the same sex and separated people.”
My hope is that the inclusion of all types of couples does not end at the feedback stage. Cohabiting homosexual couples, for example, experience exactly the same problems as heterosexual ones. This law must be drafted in a manner that allows same-sex couples to register their partnership in an official manner – which will give them important rights such as the right of inheritance and a widow/er’s pension. We cannot continue living in a society where the only option for same-sex couples is to pull a Francia and adopt their lover!
There are also various other important issues that should be addressed by this bill, foremost amongst which is the right of cohabiting partners (same-sex or otherwise) to take on the role of next of kin when making important medical decisions for their partner when he or she is taken ill and is not in a position to decide for him/herself. We have heard endless stories of family members refusing to allow gay partners to visit their loved ones on their deathbeds in hospital after a serious accident or at the end of a debilitating illness – this is ridiculous and must stop.
Similarly, there must be a serious discussion relating to immigration rights in the context of cohabiting couples. When a Maltese citizen marries someone who is not Maltese, after a number of years the foreign partner becomes eligible for Maltese citizenship. People who cannot get married (either because they are separated and cannot get divorced, or because they are a same-sex couple) do not have the same option available to them. Therefore it is important that a civil union brings with it the same privileges that marriage does in this context. If you are gay and have registered your partnership, then after a number of years your partner should be entitled to citizenship. Similarly concepts such as fiancé visas should be extended to same-sex couples.
The life of gay couples is automatically harder than that of straight couples. They are to a certain extent going against the flow, so they have to face more opposition. This should not extend to the law, however – in the eyes of the State, as of God, we are all equal. There are hundreds of homosexual couples living in committed relationships in Malta – they may be a minority but that does not mean that we should ignore them. They are just as Maltese as heterosexuals, pay the same taxes as heterosexuals and should have the same rights as heterosexuals!
Anything less than that and this cohabitation law will be a failure.
The Social Affairs Committee is currently discussing a bill to regulate cohabitation. The members of the committee are open to suggestion and are currently asking for feedback from the public, so much so that Edwin Vassallo said: “We are conducting this exercise with a very open mind and we are not excluding anyone. We want to listen to feedback from everyone, including cohabiting sisters, couples of the same sex and separated people.”
My hope is that the inclusion of all types of couples does not end at the feedback stage. Cohabiting homosexual couples, for example, experience exactly the same problems as heterosexual ones. This law must be drafted in a manner that allows same-sex couples to register their partnership in an official manner – which will give them important rights such as the right of inheritance and a widow/er’s pension. We cannot continue living in a society where the only option for same-sex couples is to pull a Francia and adopt their lover!
There are also various other important issues that should be addressed by this bill, foremost amongst which is the right of cohabiting partners (same-sex or otherwise) to take on the role of next of kin when making important medical decisions for their partner when he or she is taken ill and is not in a position to decide for him/herself. We have heard endless stories of family members refusing to allow gay partners to visit their loved ones on their deathbeds in hospital after a serious accident or at the end of a debilitating illness – this is ridiculous and must stop.
Similarly, there must be a serious discussion relating to immigration rights in the context of cohabiting couples. When a Maltese citizen marries someone who is not Maltese, after a number of years the foreign partner becomes eligible for Maltese citizenship. People who cannot get married (either because they are separated and cannot get divorced, or because they are a same-sex couple) do not have the same option available to them. Therefore it is important that a civil union brings with it the same privileges that marriage does in this context. If you are gay and have registered your partnership, then after a number of years your partner should be entitled to citizenship. Similarly concepts such as fiancé visas should be extended to same-sex couples.
The life of gay couples is automatically harder than that of straight couples. They are to a certain extent going against the flow, so they have to face more opposition. This should not extend to the law, however – in the eyes of the State, as of God, we are all equal. There are hundreds of homosexual couples living in committed relationships in Malta – they may be a minority but that does not mean that we should ignore them. They are just as Maltese as heterosexuals, pay the same taxes as heterosexuals and should have the same rights as heterosexuals!
Anything less than that and this cohabitation law will be a failure.
Tuesday, 13 October 2009
HRC: President Obama Obama Addresses Gay Rights Group [Human Rights Campaign]
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUEB6wYucDs
President Barack Obama Addresses Gay Rights Group [Human Rights Campaign] - 10/10/09
[Keywords: Matthew Shephard; Don't Ask Don't Tell, Bereavement Rights; Hospital Visitation Rights]
Friday, 3 April 2009
MaltaStar: Patient Rights
http://www.maltastar.com/pages/ms09dart.asp?a=813
02 April 2009 13:37 by Andrew Sciberras
I must be honest, patient rights are quite a novelty for me. In fact I am greatly fortunate that I’ve never been a patient in Mater Dei and never had any relatives or friends who went there. As a result I know only the façade of this state of the art complex and touch wood that is all I would come to know for a very long time.
02 April 2009 13:37 by Andrew Sciberras
I must be honest, patient rights are quite a novelty for me. In fact I am greatly fortunate that I’ve never been a patient in Mater Dei and never had any relatives or friends who went there. As a result I know only the façade of this state of the art complex and touch wood that is all I would come to know for a very long time.
What are patient rights? A recent Euro Health Consumer Index report sheds some light on this inquiry. The said report lists certain specific rights such as the right to a second medical opinion, the right to review your own medical records, a tangible healthcare law based on patient rights, right of direct access to specialists and fault malpractice insurance. Apparently Malta fairs well in the first one, i.e. the right to a second medical opinion, but boasts a shameful showing in the rest. It is time to shape up. It should not be the European Union that has to put such things in perspective. If we are truly a society that cares about its own members, such rights should have been realised decades ago.
But we mustn’t stop there. The list of patient rights can be expanded further. Let me start with the obvious: the most fundamental right of all should be the right to free healthcare. What a tragedy it would be to forfeit our health, our parents’ health, our children’s health to a power-hungry insurance lobby which puts the interests of its coffers before anything else. Second in importance should be the right to efficient and quality healthcare. What consolation would it be for that pensioner to be told that her health service is free but she must wait 4 years for her operation? What peace of mind would that daughter have in visiting her dying father in dim-lit corridors because they have no other place where to put him? The latter are heartbreaking realities which have much to tell about a society that is neglecting its most vulnerable, and for what?
Another set of rights which comes to mind is unfortunately controversial. I firmly believe that cohabiting couples, be they straight or gay, should be placed on an equal footing with married couples. The discrimination is both senseless and heartless and it must stop. What do I mean by ‘equal footing’? What discrimination? Well, for instance, the cohabiting partner is denied the right to take a medical decision when his/her other partner is unable to do so. They are denied visiting rights of their partners in hospital. They are denied urgent family leave in case of a serious accident and they are denied bereavement leave when their partner sadly passes away. I may have strayed a little out of point here but this is a subject which really pains me. I cannot understand how man has it within him to decide what type of relationship merits justice whilst ultimately forgetting that it boils down to one true bond which human beings of all kinds share: love.
As Spanish Prime Minister Zapatero once said, “a decent society is one which does not humiliate its members.” But I am humiliated when I see such blatant neglect when it comes to the rights of the patient. I am humiliated by our concept of ‘state of the art’ medical facilities. I am humiliated when I see such differentiation and denial of justice between different sets of people. Yet we can change all this. We can make society decent again and pave the way to becoming the best in the European Union. We can start with the most vulnerable and the minorities by restoring in them the rights and dignity they deserve.
This is what I want for Malta.
But we mustn’t stop there. The list of patient rights can be expanded further. Let me start with the obvious: the most fundamental right of all should be the right to free healthcare. What a tragedy it would be to forfeit our health, our parents’ health, our children’s health to a power-hungry insurance lobby which puts the interests of its coffers before anything else. Second in importance should be the right to efficient and quality healthcare. What consolation would it be for that pensioner to be told that her health service is free but she must wait 4 years for her operation? What peace of mind would that daughter have in visiting her dying father in dim-lit corridors because they have no other place where to put him? The latter are heartbreaking realities which have much to tell about a society that is neglecting its most vulnerable, and for what?
Another set of rights which comes to mind is unfortunately controversial. I firmly believe that cohabiting couples, be they straight or gay, should be placed on an equal footing with married couples. The discrimination is both senseless and heartless and it must stop. What do I mean by ‘equal footing’? What discrimination? Well, for instance, the cohabiting partner is denied the right to take a medical decision when his/her other partner is unable to do so. They are denied visiting rights of their partners in hospital. They are denied urgent family leave in case of a serious accident and they are denied bereavement leave when their partner sadly passes away. I may have strayed a little out of point here but this is a subject which really pains me. I cannot understand how man has it within him to decide what type of relationship merits justice whilst ultimately forgetting that it boils down to one true bond which human beings of all kinds share: love.
As Spanish Prime Minister Zapatero once said, “a decent society is one which does not humiliate its members.” But I am humiliated when I see such blatant neglect when it comes to the rights of the patient. I am humiliated by our concept of ‘state of the art’ medical facilities. I am humiliated when I see such differentiation and denial of justice between different sets of people. Yet we can change all this. We can make society decent again and pave the way to becoming the best in the European Union. We can start with the most vulnerable and the minorities by restoring in them the rights and dignity they deserve.
This is what I want for Malta.
Sunday, 18 January 2009
YouTube: VIVE EVITA EL SIDA -gay [Live Life: Avoid AIDS. gay version]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jyt63PZABvY
Rated 16+
VIVE LO SUFICIENTE PARA ENCONTRAR A LA PERSONA CORRECTA PROTEJETE ***VIH-SIDA***
[Live long enough to meet the right person. Protect yourself: HIV AIDS]
--RECUERDA QUE LA PERSONA QUE TE LLEVA AL CIELO TAMBIEN PUEDE MATARTE--
[Remember that the person who can take you to heaven might kill you]
Este video me parecio muy bueno en especial para despertar a los jovenes. El contenido es como se presenta la vida ni mas fuerte, ni menos fuerte, seria una lastima que lo quitaran. El VIH-SIDA puede contarerlo cualquier persona. ///CONTRA EL VIH-SIDA NO BASTA CON TENER MIEDO///
El video es una campaña contra el SIDA de la compañía TBWA para Francia.
VIVE LO SUFICIENTE PARA ENCONTRAR A LA PERSONA CORRECTA PROTEJETE ***VIH-SIDA***
[Live long enough to meet the right person. Protect yourself: HIV AIDS]
--RECUERDA QUE LA PERSONA QUE TE LLEVA AL CIELO TAMBIEN PUEDE MATARTE--
[Remember that the person who can take you to heaven might kill you]
Este video me parecio muy bueno en especial para despertar a los jovenes. El contenido es como se presenta la vida ni mas fuerte, ni menos fuerte, seria una lastima que lo quitaran. El VIH-SIDA puede contarerlo cualquier persona. ///CONTRA EL VIH-SIDA NO BASTA CON TENER MIEDO///
El video es una campaña contra el SIDA de la compañía TBWA para Francia.
www.radiodiversia.com [Colombia]
Thursday, 1 January 2009
YouTube: Domestic Partnerships
YouTube: LGBT AD - Domestic Partnership 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZdZTlEfBAk
Hospital Visitation Rights. Fair Equal.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZdZTlEfBAk
Hospital Visitation Rights. Fair Equal.
Saturday, 6 December 2008
Monday, 25 August 2008
L-Orizzont: Rapport li se jintuża bħala bażi għal liġi Ewropea
http://www.l-orizzont.com/news.asp?newsitemid=46800
23.8.8; minn Victor Vella
Rapport li ħareġ mill-Aġenzija tad-Drittijiet tal-Bniedem tal-Unjoni Ewropea (FRA), qiegħed jintlaqa’ tajjeb ħafna mill-komunità ta’ omosesswali f’Malta. Dan hekk kif l-istess rapport isejjaħ biex ikun hemm regoli għall-pajjiżi Ewropej li ma jagħmlux differenzi bejn żwiġijiet tradizzjonali u dawk bejn persuni ta’ l-istess sess.
Din l-istess aġenzija fir-rapport tagħha qiegħda tirrakkomanda li għandha tingħata spinta l-promozzjoni ta’ kwistjonijiet marbuta ma’ l-omosesswalità u identitajiet oħrajn. Ir-rapport jitlob ukoll li l-omofobija tiġi dikjarata bħala reat kriminali permezz ta’ leġislazzjoni.
Ir-rapport inkiteb minn grupp imsejjaħ ‘FRALEX’. Il-Parlament Ewropew talab lill-Aġenzija tad-Drittijiet tal-Bniedem (FRA) biex tħejji opinjoni għal liġi ġdida Ewropea, biex finalment tkun projbita d-diskriminazzjoni bbażata fuq l-orjentazzjoni sesswali fl-impjiegi, l-edukazzjoni, sigurtà soċjali, saħħa, u aċċess għal servizzi.
Bħalissa l-liġijiet Ewropej jestendu protezzjoni fuq orjentazzjoni sesswali fil-qasam tal-impjiegi, waqt li tħalli l-oqsma l-oħrajn suġġetti għal-leġislazzjoni nazzjonali.
Ir-rapport li fih 165 paġna imur lil hinn mid-direttiva proposta. Tant li fih analiżi tal-possibilitajiet tal-liġijiet Ewropej u tal-pajjiżi ta’ l-Unjoni Ewropea li qegħdin jew jistgħu jkunu qegħdin jiddiskriminaw kontra l-omosesswali. Dawn jinkludu liġijiet fil-qasam tal-impjiegi, fil-moviment ħieles tal-persuni, fil-qasam tar-refuġjati, riunifikazzjoni tal-familji u fil-liġi kriminali.
Ir-rapport mill-Aġenzija tad-Drittijiet tal-Bniedem (FRA), jargumenta li l-liġijiet Ewropej għandhom jisfurzaw lill-istati membri, li fihom m’hemm ebda leġislazzjoni li tippermetti żwieġ bejn koppji omosesswali, biex titratta lil dawn il-persuni li jkunu f’arranġament simili bħala koppji miżżewġin.
L-estensjoni ta’ privileġġi għall-koppji omosesswali hu ġustifikat fir-rapport minħabba l-prinċipju fundamenti tal-UE fosthom dak ta’ trattament ugwali. Koppji omosesswali f’Malta f’kummenti lil l-orizzont qalu li “la koppja omosesswali ma tistax tiżżewweġ, tispiċċa li jekk wieħed ikun f’relazzjoni u jmut, is-sieħeb l-ieħor mhux intitolat għall-leave li koppji tradizzjonali huma intitolati għalih. Anke fejn jidħol il-wirt ta’ dik il-koppja omosesswali, is-sieħeb li jibqa’ ħaj ma jiritx l-assi jew id-dar jekk ma jkunx hemm testment. Fejn jidħol id-dejn, il-fatt li m’għandniex dritt legali li niżżewġu, iwassal biex ikun baqa’ ħaj ma jkollux responsabbiltà tad-dejn li tkun għamlet il-koppja. Fejn jidħol il-leave mediku biex nieħdu ħsieb membru tal-familja li jkun marid serjament, naraw li dan ukoll m’aħniex intitolati għalih”.
L-istess persuni qalulna li “fejn jidħol il-qasam tad-djar, skemi miftuħin għall-persuni miżżewġin jew inċentivi għalihom, għalina ma jgħoddux. Nistgħu napplikaw għal ċertu skemi, imma hemm ħafna każi fejn diversi allegaw li twarrbu sempliċiment għax huma omosesswali. Fuq l-immigrazzjoni hawn sitwazzjoni kerha ħafna. Is-sieħeb ta’ persuna omosesswali ma jitħalliex jingħaqad mas-sieħeb tiegħu ma jitħalliex jgħix f’Malta sempliċiment għax għandu sieħeb Malti. Dan meta fil-każ ta’ koppji tradizzjonali, dawn għandhom id-dritt li dak li jkun ġej minn pajjiż ieħor jingħata l-permess li jgħix f’pajjiżna u jrabbi l-familja”.
Jenfasizzaw li “koppji omosesswali ma jistax ikollhom assigurazzjoni konġunta fuq id-dar jew fuq il-karozza. Fuq il-postijiet tax-xogħol, is-sidien ġieli jispiċċaw jagħmlu assigurazzjoni lill-ħaddiema u l-familja tiegħu kollha f’każ ta’ familja tradizzjonali. Hemm ukoll il-każ tat-taxxi, fejn ma nistgħux ingawdu minn benefiċċji soċjali diretti għall-familji”.
23.8.8; minn Victor Vella
Rapport li ħareġ mill-Aġenzija tad-Drittijiet tal-Bniedem tal-Unjoni Ewropea (FRA), qiegħed jintlaqa’ tajjeb ħafna mill-komunità ta’ omosesswali f’Malta. Dan hekk kif l-istess rapport isejjaħ biex ikun hemm regoli għall-pajjiżi Ewropej li ma jagħmlux differenzi bejn żwiġijiet tradizzjonali u dawk bejn persuni ta’ l-istess sess.
Din l-istess aġenzija fir-rapport tagħha qiegħda tirrakkomanda li għandha tingħata spinta l-promozzjoni ta’ kwistjonijiet marbuta ma’ l-omosesswalità u identitajiet oħrajn. Ir-rapport jitlob ukoll li l-omofobija tiġi dikjarata bħala reat kriminali permezz ta’ leġislazzjoni.
Ir-rapport inkiteb minn grupp imsejjaħ ‘FRALEX’. Il-Parlament Ewropew talab lill-Aġenzija tad-Drittijiet tal-Bniedem (FRA) biex tħejji opinjoni għal liġi ġdida Ewropea, biex finalment tkun projbita d-diskriminazzjoni bbażata fuq l-orjentazzjoni sesswali fl-impjiegi, l-edukazzjoni, sigurtà soċjali, saħħa, u aċċess għal servizzi.
Bħalissa l-liġijiet Ewropej jestendu protezzjoni fuq orjentazzjoni sesswali fil-qasam tal-impjiegi, waqt li tħalli l-oqsma l-oħrajn suġġetti għal-leġislazzjoni nazzjonali.
Ir-rapport li fih 165 paġna imur lil hinn mid-direttiva proposta. Tant li fih analiżi tal-possibilitajiet tal-liġijiet Ewropej u tal-pajjiżi ta’ l-Unjoni Ewropea li qegħdin jew jistgħu jkunu qegħdin jiddiskriminaw kontra l-omosesswali. Dawn jinkludu liġijiet fil-qasam tal-impjiegi, fil-moviment ħieles tal-persuni, fil-qasam tar-refuġjati, riunifikazzjoni tal-familji u fil-liġi kriminali.
Ir-rapport mill-Aġenzija tad-Drittijiet tal-Bniedem (FRA), jargumenta li l-liġijiet Ewropej għandhom jisfurzaw lill-istati membri, li fihom m’hemm ebda leġislazzjoni li tippermetti żwieġ bejn koppji omosesswali, biex titratta lil dawn il-persuni li jkunu f’arranġament simili bħala koppji miżżewġin.
L-estensjoni ta’ privileġġi għall-koppji omosesswali hu ġustifikat fir-rapport minħabba l-prinċipju fundamenti tal-UE fosthom dak ta’ trattament ugwali. Koppji omosesswali f’Malta f’kummenti lil l-orizzont qalu li “la koppja omosesswali ma tistax tiżżewweġ, tispiċċa li jekk wieħed ikun f’relazzjoni u jmut, is-sieħeb l-ieħor mhux intitolat għall-leave li koppji tradizzjonali huma intitolati għalih. Anke fejn jidħol il-wirt ta’ dik il-koppja omosesswali, is-sieħeb li jibqa’ ħaj ma jiritx l-assi jew id-dar jekk ma jkunx hemm testment. Fejn jidħol id-dejn, il-fatt li m’għandniex dritt legali li niżżewġu, iwassal biex ikun baqa’ ħaj ma jkollux responsabbiltà tad-dejn li tkun għamlet il-koppja. Fejn jidħol il-leave mediku biex nieħdu ħsieb membru tal-familja li jkun marid serjament, naraw li dan ukoll m’aħniex intitolati għalih”.
L-istess persuni qalulna li “fejn jidħol il-qasam tad-djar, skemi miftuħin għall-persuni miżżewġin jew inċentivi għalihom, għalina ma jgħoddux. Nistgħu napplikaw għal ċertu skemi, imma hemm ħafna każi fejn diversi allegaw li twarrbu sempliċiment għax huma omosesswali. Fuq l-immigrazzjoni hawn sitwazzjoni kerha ħafna. Is-sieħeb ta’ persuna omosesswali ma jitħalliex jingħaqad mas-sieħeb tiegħu ma jitħalliex jgħix f’Malta sempliċiment għax għandu sieħeb Malti. Dan meta fil-każ ta’ koppji tradizzjonali, dawn għandhom id-dritt li dak li jkun ġej minn pajjiż ieħor jingħata l-permess li jgħix f’pajjiżna u jrabbi l-familja”.
Jenfasizzaw li “koppji omosesswali ma jistax ikollhom assigurazzjoni konġunta fuq id-dar jew fuq il-karozza. Fuq il-postijiet tax-xogħol, is-sidien ġieli jispiċċaw jagħmlu assigurazzjoni lill-ħaddiema u l-familja tiegħu kollha f’każ ta’ familja tradizzjonali. Hemm ukoll il-każ tat-taxxi, fejn ma nistgħux ingawdu minn benefiċċji soċjali diretti għall-familji”.
Tuesday, 15 July 2008
Id-Diskors tiegħi fil-'Malta Gay Pride 2008'
(see English translation below)
12 ta' Lulju 2008
minn Patrick Attard
Nixtieq nibda biex ngħid prosit lil organizzaturi tal-Gay Pride.
Jien l-Spokesperson on Lesbian Gay Bi-sexual and Transgender on issues jew bil-malti: kelliem għal nies li huma… ‘hekk’.
Ma nafx kif il-Partit Nazzjonalista ma bagħtx lil David Casa illum, peress li s-Sur Casa tant jiġġieled kontra d-diskriminazzjoni fil-gay bars ta’ Brussell, imma jbati biex jikkundanna vjolenza, tortura u diskriminazzjoni fuq gays fil-parlament Ewropew.
Għalfejn illum hawn dan l-għaġeb kollu fuq iż-żwieġ jew partnership bejn koppji gay. Irriduh ghax ‘cool’ jew ghax pajjiżi oħrajn għandhom u rridu nagħmlu bħalhom? Ha ngħidilkom storja vera ta’ żewġ ħbieb tiegħi spanjoli li żżwewġu tlett snin ilu.
Juan u Toni ilhom flimkien erbatax il-sena. Iżżewġu meta fl-2005 Zapatero daħħal iż-żwieġ bejn koppji gay. Kien żwieġ vera umli. Marru ghaċ-ċerimonja b’tal-linja. Iċ-ċerimonja damet inqas minn tlett minuti u lanqas ċrieket ma taw lil xulxin. Wara marru b’tal-linja ġo restaurant biex jieklu mal-familji tagħhom.
Prof. Cassola (xellug) iżomm ritratt ta' Toni u Juan u Dr. Inġ. Patrick Attard.
Mela għalfejn dan l-għageb kollu? X’hemm daqshekk importanti fil-partnership bejn gays.
Ftit snin ilu Juan qabdu kanċer go għajnu u din kellha titneħħa. Kien hemm ukoll biża' kbira li l-kanċer seta infirex f’ġismu.
Peress li l-Toni u Juan qed joqorbu l-erbgħin sena il-ġenituri tagħhom anzjani u ma tantx setgħu jgħinu. Toni talab ghal-leave mix-xogħol biex ikun ma’ Juan u dan ingħata il-leave mill-ewwel għax ir-raġel tiegħu kien marid. Hu kien dejjem miegħu fl-isptar u f’każ li l-affarijiet imorru hażin kien jigi mistoqsi fuq kull deċisjoni li tittieħed.
Għalhekk importanti l-urgent family leave jew il-bereavement leave fil-każ ta’ mewt. Jekk il-boss tiegħek ma jħallikx tieħu leave fl-aktar hin diffiċli fil-ħajja ikompli jżid it-trauma ta’ l-armel.
U għalhekk inweġġa meta qassissin qabel l-elezzjoni ħeġġu lin-nies biex ma jivvutawx ghal-Alternattiva għax favur id-drittjiet tal-koppji gay. Dan juri li forsi dawn il-qassissin ma fehmux eżatt fuq liema drittijiet qed nitkellmu u kemm bil-kliem iebes tagħhom jistgħu iweġġgħu nies.
Il-knisja dejjem tipprova żżomm l-imħabba bejn persuni gay bħala maħmuġa u lleġillittima peress li tikseb is-saħħa mis-sens ta’ ħtija u mistħija (guilt and shame) li tiprrova tnissel fin-nies. Madanakollu nafu li–knisja Maltija mhix pożżizzjoni li tkun il-boxla tal-moralita’ f’pajjiżna. Pereżempju importanti li ngħidu li nies li huma sseparati u qed ipoġġu jiġu mħeġġa mill-qassissin biex imorru jitqarbnu f’paroċċa il-bogħod mill-lokalita. Din hi ipokrizija kbira għax min jemmen fit-tqarbin jemmen li tqarbina f’parroċċa għandha l-istess effett bħal tqarbina f’paroċċa oħra u turi l-ipokrezija kbira li ngħamlu kollox għal għajn in-nies. Iktar minn hekk hu ta’ dispjaċir li nies li għaddejjin min separazzjoni ma’ jingħatawx xogħol bħala għalliema fi skejjel tal-knisja u aktar jsofru tbatija.
Ir-risultat ta’ dan it-tgħalim konfuż hu missier li fuq is-sodda tal-mewt tiegħu ma jkellimx lit-tifel tiegħu għax kien gay. Omm li tgħid li kieku kienet taf lit-tifel kien se jkun gay kienet tagħmel abort. Missier li jgħid li jippreferi kieku t-tifel kellu l-marda tal-kanċer milli jgħid li hu gay.
Jien is-sena l-oħra iltqajt ma’ l-E.T. Arċisqof Cremona u għidtlu x-xewqa kbira tiegħi li nies ta’ twemmin differenti jistgħu jghixu f’armonija fl-istess pajjiż.
Jien għidt lil Arcisqof li hawn familji li ilhom snin ma jieklu flimkien għax it-tifel ikun gay. Hemm waħda lizbjana li ilha aktar minn 15-il sena ma tiekol ikla ma familtha.
Jien issuggerejtlu biex fil-messaġġ li jirrekordja fi żmien il-Għid li jixxandar fil-knejjes bil-cassette biex iħeggeġ lin-nisa tad-dar jistiednu liġ-ġara isseparata għat-te' u t-tifel gay għall-ikla tal-Ħadd ta’ wara nofs in-nhar. L-Arcisqof dak in-nhar irrifjuta. Jien ħsibt li hu ha jifimni ghax hu bħali… ma jafx isajjar. Nixtieq nerġa nagħmillu appell biex jaghmel il-dan messaġġ biex vera nibnu pontijiet ta’ rieda tajba, u jekk 10 ommijiet jisimgħu minnu ikun diġa' għaqqad 10 familji.
Huwa importanti ngħidu li jekk ikun hemm partnership bejn koppji gay, dan mhu se jtellef xejn lil nies li ma jaqblux ma dan u mhux se ttelifhom milli jghixu ħajjithom bil-kwiet.
Irridu nqumu bil-wieqfa kontra l-ipokrizija u flimkien niġġieldu l-Injoranza, l-Intolleranza u l-Mibgheda, għax kif qalulna ftit ilu Flimkien Kollox Possibli!!
---
I would like to say well done to the organisers of this gay pride march.
I am the spokesperson on Lesbian Gay Bi-sexual and Transgender issues, or in maltese, spokesperson for people who are like 'that'.
I dont know why the Nationalist Party didn´t send the MEP David Casa today, since Mr. Casa really fights against discrimination in the gay bars in Brussels but then fails to condemn violence, torture and discrimination on gays in the european parliament.
Why is there today such a fuss on gay marriage or civil partnership. Do we want it because it´s cool or we want to copy other countries? I'll tell you a true story of 2 spanish friends of mine who were married 3 years ago.
Juan and Toni have been together for 14 years. They got married when Zapatero introduced gay marriage. It was a very humble cermony. They went to the wedding by bus, the cermony lasted no more than 3 minutes and they didn´t even have rings. Afterwards they went by bus to eat in a restaurant with their families.
So why is there all this fuss? What is so important between a partnership between 2 gays.
A few years ago Juan had a cancer in his eye which had to be removed. There was a fear that the cancer might have spread to other parts of his body.
Since Toni and Juan are close to 40 years of age and their parents are getting old, their parents couldn´t help much. Toni asked for urgent family leave at work to be with Juan and it was given to him immediately because his husband was sick. He could stay in hospital and in case of difficulties he would be informed of any decision taken.
This is why the urgent family leave or bereavement leave are important in case of death. If your boss fails to give you the leave when the partner dies, it makes life more difficult and complicates the trauma of the surviving partner.
And this is why I was hurt when priests were encouraging the followers not to vote for AD before the election because we are in favour of gay rights. Maybe these priests didn´t understand what rights are we talking about and they can cause a lot of suffering with their harsh words.
The church always tries to keep the gay love as dirty and illegitimate since it gets its power from the sense of guilt and shame it tries to instil in its followers. On the other hand we know that the Maltese Church is not in a position to be the moral compass in our country. It is important to note that separated people who are co-habitating with a partner (note divorce is illegal) are not allowed to receive Holy communion in their local church and are encouraged to go to another locality far away. This is a huge hypocricy since those who believe in Holy Communion believe that the Communion in one Church has the same value as the Communion in another Church and shows that we do everything so that people don´t talk about us behind our back. Furthermore, it is sad that those persons who are currently separated and apply to work as a teacher is a church-school are not employed, increasing their suffering even further.
The result of this confused teaching is a father who on his deathbed doesn´t talk to his son because he is gay; a mother who says she would have had an abortion had she known her son would turn out to be gay; a father who prefers to have a son who is diagnosed with cancer, than a gay son.
Last year I met H.E. Archbishop Cremona and told him of my big wish that people of different beliefs can live in harmony in the same country.
I told the Archbishop that there are families who haven´t eaten together for a long time since their son is gay. There is a lesbian in particular who hasn´t had a lunch with her family for 15 years.
I suggested that in his message which he records during Easter time, which is played on cassette in all the Churches, that he should encourage the housewives to invite their separated neighbour for tea and their gay son for Sunday Lunch. That day the Archbishop refused. I thought he would understand me beacuse he, like me.... doesn´t know how to cook. I would to make the appeal again publicly so that we truly can build good-will bridges.
It is important to say that if there is a partnership between gay couples, this would not affect the lives of those who disagree with it and they can still live their life in peace.
We have to stand up against the hyprocricy and fight the ignorance, intolerance and hatred because as someone told us, "Everything is Possible when we stick together" (this was the PN- conservatives´- motto for the past election).
12 ta' Lulju 2008
minn Patrick Attard
Nixtieq nibda biex ngħid prosit lil organizzaturi tal-Gay Pride.
Jien l-Spokesperson on Lesbian Gay Bi-sexual and Transgender on issues jew bil-malti: kelliem għal nies li huma… ‘hekk’.
Ma nafx kif il-Partit Nazzjonalista ma bagħtx lil David Casa illum, peress li s-Sur Casa tant jiġġieled kontra d-diskriminazzjoni fil-gay bars ta’ Brussell, imma jbati biex jikkundanna vjolenza, tortura u diskriminazzjoni fuq gays fil-parlament Ewropew.
Għalfejn illum hawn dan l-għaġeb kollu fuq iż-żwieġ jew partnership bejn koppji gay. Irriduh ghax ‘cool’ jew ghax pajjiżi oħrajn għandhom u rridu nagħmlu bħalhom? Ha ngħidilkom storja vera ta’ żewġ ħbieb tiegħi spanjoli li żżwewġu tlett snin ilu.
Juan u Toni ilhom flimkien erbatax il-sena. Iżżewġu meta fl-2005 Zapatero daħħal iż-żwieġ bejn koppji gay. Kien żwieġ vera umli. Marru ghaċ-ċerimonja b’tal-linja. Iċ-ċerimonja damet inqas minn tlett minuti u lanqas ċrieket ma taw lil xulxin. Wara marru b’tal-linja ġo restaurant biex jieklu mal-familji tagħhom.
Prof. Cassola (xellug) iżomm ritratt ta' Toni u Juan u Dr. Inġ. Patrick Attard.Mela għalfejn dan l-għageb kollu? X’hemm daqshekk importanti fil-partnership bejn gays.
Ftit snin ilu Juan qabdu kanċer go għajnu u din kellha titneħħa. Kien hemm ukoll biża' kbira li l-kanċer seta infirex f’ġismu.
Peress li l-Toni u Juan qed joqorbu l-erbgħin sena il-ġenituri tagħhom anzjani u ma tantx setgħu jgħinu. Toni talab ghal-leave mix-xogħol biex ikun ma’ Juan u dan ingħata il-leave mill-ewwel għax ir-raġel tiegħu kien marid. Hu kien dejjem miegħu fl-isptar u f’każ li l-affarijiet imorru hażin kien jigi mistoqsi fuq kull deċisjoni li tittieħed.
Għalhekk importanti l-urgent family leave jew il-bereavement leave fil-każ ta’ mewt. Jekk il-boss tiegħek ma jħallikx tieħu leave fl-aktar hin diffiċli fil-ħajja ikompli jżid it-trauma ta’ l-armel.
U għalhekk inweġġa meta qassissin qabel l-elezzjoni ħeġġu lin-nies biex ma jivvutawx ghal-Alternattiva għax favur id-drittjiet tal-koppji gay. Dan juri li forsi dawn il-qassissin ma fehmux eżatt fuq liema drittijiet qed nitkellmu u kemm bil-kliem iebes tagħhom jistgħu iweġġgħu nies.
Il-knisja dejjem tipprova żżomm l-imħabba bejn persuni gay bħala maħmuġa u lleġillittima peress li tikseb is-saħħa mis-sens ta’ ħtija u mistħija (guilt and shame) li tiprrova tnissel fin-nies. Madanakollu nafu li–knisja Maltija mhix pożżizzjoni li tkun il-boxla tal-moralita’ f’pajjiżna. Pereżempju importanti li ngħidu li nies li huma sseparati u qed ipoġġu jiġu mħeġġa mill-qassissin biex imorru jitqarbnu f’paroċċa il-bogħod mill-lokalita. Din hi ipokrizija kbira għax min jemmen fit-tqarbin jemmen li tqarbina f’parroċċa għandha l-istess effett bħal tqarbina f’paroċċa oħra u turi l-ipokrezija kbira li ngħamlu kollox għal għajn in-nies. Iktar minn hekk hu ta’ dispjaċir li nies li għaddejjin min separazzjoni ma’ jingħatawx xogħol bħala għalliema fi skejjel tal-knisja u aktar jsofru tbatija.
Ir-risultat ta’ dan it-tgħalim konfuż hu missier li fuq is-sodda tal-mewt tiegħu ma jkellimx lit-tifel tiegħu għax kien gay. Omm li tgħid li kieku kienet taf lit-tifel kien se jkun gay kienet tagħmel abort. Missier li jgħid li jippreferi kieku t-tifel kellu l-marda tal-kanċer milli jgħid li hu gay.
Jien is-sena l-oħra iltqajt ma’ l-E.T. Arċisqof Cremona u għidtlu x-xewqa kbira tiegħi li nies ta’ twemmin differenti jistgħu jghixu f’armonija fl-istess pajjiż.
Jien għidt lil Arcisqof li hawn familji li ilhom snin ma jieklu flimkien għax it-tifel ikun gay. Hemm waħda lizbjana li ilha aktar minn 15-il sena ma tiekol ikla ma familtha.
Jien issuggerejtlu biex fil-messaġġ li jirrekordja fi żmien il-Għid li jixxandar fil-knejjes bil-cassette biex iħeggeġ lin-nisa tad-dar jistiednu liġ-ġara isseparata għat-te' u t-tifel gay għall-ikla tal-Ħadd ta’ wara nofs in-nhar. L-Arcisqof dak in-nhar irrifjuta. Jien ħsibt li hu ha jifimni ghax hu bħali… ma jafx isajjar. Nixtieq nerġa nagħmillu appell biex jaghmel il-dan messaġġ biex vera nibnu pontijiet ta’ rieda tajba, u jekk 10 ommijiet jisimgħu minnu ikun diġa' għaqqad 10 familji.
Huwa importanti ngħidu li jekk ikun hemm partnership bejn koppji gay, dan mhu se jtellef xejn lil nies li ma jaqblux ma dan u mhux se ttelifhom milli jghixu ħajjithom bil-kwiet.
Irridu nqumu bil-wieqfa kontra l-ipokrizija u flimkien niġġieldu l-Injoranza, l-Intolleranza u l-Mibgheda, għax kif qalulna ftit ilu Flimkien Kollox Possibli!!
---
I would like to say well done to the organisers of this gay pride march.
I am the spokesperson on Lesbian Gay Bi-sexual and Transgender issues, or in maltese, spokesperson for people who are like 'that'.
I dont know why the Nationalist Party didn´t send the MEP David Casa today, since Mr. Casa really fights against discrimination in the gay bars in Brussels but then fails to condemn violence, torture and discrimination on gays in the european parliament.
Why is there today such a fuss on gay marriage or civil partnership. Do we want it because it´s cool or we want to copy other countries? I'll tell you a true story of 2 spanish friends of mine who were married 3 years ago.
Juan and Toni have been together for 14 years. They got married when Zapatero introduced gay marriage. It was a very humble cermony. They went to the wedding by bus, the cermony lasted no more than 3 minutes and they didn´t even have rings. Afterwards they went by bus to eat in a restaurant with their families.
So why is there all this fuss? What is so important between a partnership between 2 gays.
A few years ago Juan had a cancer in his eye which had to be removed. There was a fear that the cancer might have spread to other parts of his body.
Since Toni and Juan are close to 40 years of age and their parents are getting old, their parents couldn´t help much. Toni asked for urgent family leave at work to be with Juan and it was given to him immediately because his husband was sick. He could stay in hospital and in case of difficulties he would be informed of any decision taken.
This is why the urgent family leave or bereavement leave are important in case of death. If your boss fails to give you the leave when the partner dies, it makes life more difficult and complicates the trauma of the surviving partner.
And this is why I was hurt when priests were encouraging the followers not to vote for AD before the election because we are in favour of gay rights. Maybe these priests didn´t understand what rights are we talking about and they can cause a lot of suffering with their harsh words.
The church always tries to keep the gay love as dirty and illegitimate since it gets its power from the sense of guilt and shame it tries to instil in its followers. On the other hand we know that the Maltese Church is not in a position to be the moral compass in our country. It is important to note that separated people who are co-habitating with a partner (note divorce is illegal) are not allowed to receive Holy communion in their local church and are encouraged to go to another locality far away. This is a huge hypocricy since those who believe in Holy Communion believe that the Communion in one Church has the same value as the Communion in another Church and shows that we do everything so that people don´t talk about us behind our back. Furthermore, it is sad that those persons who are currently separated and apply to work as a teacher is a church-school are not employed, increasing their suffering even further.
The result of this confused teaching is a father who on his deathbed doesn´t talk to his son because he is gay; a mother who says she would have had an abortion had she known her son would turn out to be gay; a father who prefers to have a son who is diagnosed with cancer, than a gay son.
Last year I met H.E. Archbishop Cremona and told him of my big wish that people of different beliefs can live in harmony in the same country.
I told the Archbishop that there are families who haven´t eaten together for a long time since their son is gay. There is a lesbian in particular who hasn´t had a lunch with her family for 15 years.
I suggested that in his message which he records during Easter time, which is played on cassette in all the Churches, that he should encourage the housewives to invite their separated neighbour for tea and their gay son for Sunday Lunch. That day the Archbishop refused. I thought he would understand me beacuse he, like me.... doesn´t know how to cook. I would to make the appeal again publicly so that we truly can build good-will bridges.
It is important to say that if there is a partnership between gay couples, this would not affect the lives of those who disagree with it and they can still live their life in peace.
We have to stand up against the hyprocricy and fight the ignorance, intolerance and hatred because as someone told us, "Everything is Possible when we stick together" (this was the PN- conservatives´- motto for the past election).
Wednesday, 21 May 2008
Thursday, 6 March 2008
Why gay voters cannot vote for GonziPN
What are you afraid of? If you don’t want gays and lesbians in the Catholic Action (Azzjoni Kattolika) of which you were the leader, it’s up to you, but not taking a stand on these critical employment issues, is an outrageous and unworthy of someone who describes himself as leader.
Why is it that Lawrence Gonzi refused to consider giving the right to urgent family leave to gays whose partner is, for example, severely ill in hospital? Isn’t this cruelty? Shouldn’t society help you when you are most in need so you can recuperate quickly and be productive again instead of having to suffer the anxiety of having an ill partner without benefiting from that support that is so readily extended to straight couples by this state? Isn’t this a severe mental trauma at the most difficult time in life?
Why is it that David Casa and Simon Busuttil object to motions in the EU parliament condemning the killing of gays?
Why are young gays committing suicide in this country? Why are gays exiling themselves from this country? What is so bad about being gay?
Do you really believe the PN will give gays any rights? They have been promising a law on cohabitation since 1998. Look what’s been done!
We are drowning in hypocrisy.
Let’s put a halt to all this.
Vote 1 Alternattika Demokratika.
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