Dialogue on the controversial children’s books donated by the gay rights lobby is welcome, but “diversity education” remains necessary, according to Civil Liberties Minister Helena Dalli.
“I believe that parents will in time understand that we cannot allow students to suffer from bullying or discrimination because of some characteristic that they have,” Dr Dalli told the Times of Malta.
She was speaking in the context of a campaign to ban from schools around 100 copies of 14 children’s publications donated to the Education Ministry by the Malta Gay Rights Movement last July.
The books include three publications on transgender children and three more about coming out, as well as audio-visual material for teachers.
Education Minister Evarist Bartolo said last week the books will not be distributed to pupils in view of concerns raised by parents. The Education Ministry later said the books were still being assessed by education officers and may be given to teachers and counsellors.
The organisers of the campaign to ban the books say they are opposed to teaching about sexuality at a young age, and claim that there is a broader agenda to indoctrinate children into becoming gay or transgender.
“Mr Bartolo was right to listen to the concerns of those parents who objected to their distribution,” Dr Dalli said, “not so much because of their contents but to remove unnecessary tension surrounding this issue.”
She added that the Civil Liberties Ministry was providing its support in the run-up to the launch of the Trans, Gender Variant and Intersex Students Policy, “to ensure a safe school environment and respect for all”.
The policy, announced last June, will allow students to wear uniforms, use school facilities, and participate in school activities according to their self-identified gender identity.
Dr Dalli said the government had already encountered opposition when introducing civil unions and, more recently, the Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics Act, but did not withdraw the proposals. “Instead we championed them and explained to the people why such legislation was necessary.
“Today, those laws are widely accepted and many have already benefited from them or know someone who has. This situation is no different.”