David Schembri
What happens in bedroom 'is government's business'
What happens in the bedroom is, up to a point, the government's business because it often had to solve problems caused there, the chairman of the House Social Affairs Committee, Edwin Vassallo said.
Speaking during a sitting on Tuesday where the Malta Gay Rights Movement gave a presentation to the committee on the situation of homosexuals and transgender individuals in Malta, Mr Vassallo said: "What we're learning in this committee is that what happens in the bedroom often ends up before the state to do something about it." As examples, he cited single parents and teenage pregnancies.
The MGRM's Gabi Calleja presented to the committee a 2008 report detailing problems gay people faced in Malta.
One of the major topics was the issue of homosexual couples and children. Even though Malta did not allow adoption by gay couples, Ms Calleja said "we're creative and still find a way to have children". These methods included surrogacy, artificial insemination and IVF and also intercourse with a member of the opposite sex.
However, since the other partner would not be listed as the biological or legal parent of the child, there could be problems when it came to a member of the couple accompanying the child on a trip and on parents' day, even though the child would have been raised by one of the couple.
It was for this reason that the MGRM was calling for second parent adoption, among other things, including gay marriage.
Mr Vassallo made his comments in reaction to Labour MP Anthony Zammit's reiteration of Labour leader Joseph Muscat's statement that it was not for the state to care what happened in the bedroom.
Prof. Zammit said Malta still had a long way to go in civil rights for homosexuals and that discussion on the topic had to be open to marriage and civil partnership for gays. "I am happy to say that I have a lot of gay friends," Prof. Zammit said, adding he was never ashamed to be seen with them.
The idea of gays forming a "family" found a fair amount of resistance from Nationalist MPs Beppe Fenech Adami and Mr Vassallo.
Dr Fenech Adami asked the MGRM representatives whether in homosexual couples there were "mother and father roles". In his and his wife's experience, Dr Fenech Adami said, when they tried filling each other's role the results weren't that good.
However, the gay rights activists contested the question, asking what sort of roles these were.
Mr Vassallo said he was not sure about the use of the word "family" to refer to homosexual couples, defending President George Abela's comments on the family earlier this year, which had sparked outrage by the MGRM.
Mr Vassallo said MGRM seemed to be denying the natural origins of the family, which can only occur when a man and woman procreate. He also asked the group whether they could provide the committee with any research showing that children brought up by same-sex parents were not affected negatively by the arrangement.
Popular Stories
Update 3: Woman found dead in car,...
Updated: Woman dies in car crash
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Part of Dwejra 'Azure window' collapses
The end of the bar that ‘never closed’
Bundy does not know whether to...
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
This WAS the night - Kurt makes it...
'No need for early election if PM's...
In Discussion
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
Gozo tunnel could take 5-7 years to...
CABS remote controlled aircraft shot...
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Joseph Calleja condemns portrayal of...
Updated: Labour would give...
CABS drone shot down
Second group of migrants arrives
Adrian Vassallo in scathing...
18 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
Joe E Galea
Jun 4th 2010, 08:34
Another joke by the GonziPN administration.
Is there anyone who can take these people seriously? If there is anyone, please take me away from this doomed island.
Joe Zammit
Jun 4th 2010, 08:18
What is unnatural cannot be a right.
Homosexual partnership (SURELY NOT MARRIAGE!) is unnatural.
Therefore, homosexual partnership cannot be a right.
Carmelo Aquilina
Jun 4th 2010, 09:20
Homesexual activity is 100% natural and has been seen in over 40 different species...
Anthony Mizzi
Jun 4th 2010, 08:00
What next? Control over the type of what Lingerie to wear with list of authorised dealers ?
Mario Desira
Jun 3rd 2010, 22:55
Government in the bedroom?
George Orwell was right..........BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU
Or in this case............BIG DADDY GOVERNMENT
So much for all the fuss about data protection!!
C.camilleri
Jun 3rd 2010, 22:37
Not tonight sweet.
Uncle Ed might be watching!
What else is government's business besides our bedroom?
Jimmy Magro
Jun 3rd 2010, 18:15
I have a very open mind. I have nothing against MGRM.
I would like to take the role of the Childrens' Commissioner. I defend the rights of those children who have no say in what any MGRM decides to do - either "surrogacy, artificial insemination and IVF and also intercourse with a member of the opposite sex." The child has no one to defend him/her on any of these chices that a person from the MGRM decides to choose to have a child.
The child in question begins from the right to have two parents - one female and one male. This is sacrosant. Imagine a child in school and his teacher asks him the names of his father and mother; and the child replies I only have two fathers or two mothers. Those that have allowed (politicians) and the parents (whether a couple of male or female) should be ashmed that they have decided to remove the most natural right of that child to have a father and a mother.
And Why? just for the opportunistic choice of any of these couples.
No Sir, I defend the right of the child. No one will stop from doing so.
Joe E Galea
Jun 4th 2010, 08:38
On what basis and scientifical studies are you basing your argument? Can you please illuminate us with your scientifically backed wisdom? Moreover, what do you prefer having a child in a broken family who is abused or who has to undergo a hell every day when home (and we have a lot of these children)...or a child who is well nurtured and taken care of by a stable gay couple?
Mike Magri
Jun 3rd 2010, 18:00
Onorevoli Vassallo... Mela veru tlifna l-Boxxla wahda nobis jew....!!!!! Ghal li jista jkun, ma tithajjarrx tkun inmfurmat ukoll, xi nkunu qieghedin naghmlu fill-kamra tal-bajnu wkoll, hux...!!!!
X`Affarijiet dawn.....!!!!
Lina Caruana
Jun 3rd 2010, 17:33
How funny! First one wants privacy , then he will expose the result of his actions on the bill of the taxpayer. What of the parents who work hard for their children trying to make ends meet ,sacrificing themselves for a better future for their children? They are more likely to be in need for a good purpose. It is not fair for them to be preceded if we truly believe in the family.
Lgonzaga@gmail.com
Jun 3rd 2010, 16:36
Igifieri ghandna Gvern tajjab ghal-irqad?
Jesmond Micallef
Jun 3rd 2010, 15:44
Man and woman. Their own physiological but aslo psychological architecture allows humans to procreate. "Nothing" can ever replace this nature, otherwise I would also question the "concept" of male and female in the first place. Gay people are different and its this difference that should be openly spoken about and not how society should accomodate the "needs" of these human beings. Their "needs" are indeed and effectively based upon the traditional female-male relationship. Both concepts of "marriage" and "family" for example, are all concepts deeply engrained between male and female since day one. How can one who is different to this concept expect these same social "needs" to apply to them ?
A.Debono
Jun 4th 2010, 09:42
I wonder what you would say if your son or daughter were gay. If they were in love with someone and wanted to get married. If just because of what society thinks, you as a human being, were denied to do something that should only, in truth, matter to you.
Marriage was between a man and a woman because in the past people were dismissive of things that were different. It seems we are still living in the past. Marriage is what it is only because of convention and nothing else, and conventions were formed based on what people think, and not how things SHOULD be. Because, let's be frank, who are you, or who am I, to tell anyone how they SHOULD live their lives. Especially when it's something like this. Something they can't help or change.
Robert Callus
Jun 3rd 2010, 15:37
The govt's business in people's private life is where there is a crime going on such as domestic violence. Teenage sex might be considered as such since (though it is ridiculous), having sex with someone under 18 is a crime.
But what do adult homosexuals and single parents have to do with this? What is Mr Vassallo proposing? That we don't allow people have sex unless they are married or in a steady relationship?
And why is he afraid to call a homosexual couple a family? Are a married heterosexual couple who can't have children not a family, by his argument? Or is a widow living with her two daughters not a family since there is no male involved?
Unfortunately we live in a very conservative country. But I never imagined MPs could be THAT conservative!
c Dimech
Jun 3rd 2010, 14:06
According to Mr Vassallo what happenes in the bedroom is in the interest of the goverment.
And them we raise the flag of data protection
According to the Maltese people , its in their interest what is being happening in goverment offices and all the other institutions offices appointed by the goverment . Fracas ma kullimkien.
victor pulis
Jun 3rd 2010, 12:56
I bet most if not all teen age preganancies don't have their beginnings in a bed room. Most likely in the back seat of a car in a secluded spot! And in a way the chairman has a point since the result of such pregnancies is borne by the government (aka the taxpayer) in the form of maintenance
D. A . Agius
Jun 3rd 2010, 13:43
It's a different argument, actually at the other end of the scale.
Josef Laspina
Jun 3rd 2010, 14:32
why dont you install cameras and telephone microphones in everyone's bedroom - bet you thought of this also and trying to feel less guilty about it by simply saying that its the state's business.