Inequality at the courts

I must admit I am perplexed. I have always believed that I have an adequate command of both the English and Maltese language, but Part XII of Legal Notice 279 of 2008 entitled "Of wearing apparel for Advocates and Legal Procurators and Members of a Disciplined Force" has left me baffled.

This legislation, drafted by those who write our laws and directed at persons practising in the Courts of Law, that hallowed institute where we go to safeguard our rights, gives directions as to what these practitioners are to wear. So, one might say. What is the problem? Well, this learned piece of writing draws a distinction between what advocates are to wear, which is a dark suit and white shirt with a tie or bow tie (i.e. obviously men), and lady advocates who are to wear a dark suit or a white blouse and black skirt.

Hello! I was under the impression that an advocate could be male or female and that therefore the distinction should have been made between male advocates and female advocates and not between advocates and lady advocates.

Could these learned drafters be under the impression that an advocate is obviously a man and that when there is female that practises law it is such an exception to the rule that it has to be pointed out and an exception made? I am not even going to go down the road of the absurdity of considering that in order for a woman to be properly attired she has to be in a skirt. Is this 2008 or 1908?

I am presuming that this is bad drafting and not a frame of mind. We may have more females than males graduating from our university but if this is the true attitude of the powers that be it is no wonder that Malta lies at the bottom of the table in the EU when it comes to the gap in the employment rates between men and women.

Something must be going wrong somewhere and the example above might be an indication of where the problem lies. It is all very well to have boards and departments and what have you to promote equality, but when even the drafters of legislation and the people behind them, who accepted the draft, make ridiculous distinctions between men and women, the road to true equality for all Maltese citizens is still a very long and arduous one.