Sometimes people tell us that we can’t do something, they give us a million and one reasons…..because of our age or because they think we’re not strong enough or we don’t know enough about what we are about to confront. I’m stubborn, yes I’m a stubborn ‘Leo’, I’ll admit it. I take full responsibility for this trait. I respect people’s opinions, and yet I also decide to stamp my feet and cause a tantrum when I don’t like what I hear. So what!..... I guess that’s regressing to childlike behaviour for me right there!
I won’t be told that I can’t do something. I like to try things for myself. I thought I could be a rhythmic gymnast at 10, BUT considering I couldn’t lay off the pastizzi every weekend AND the fact that I had an embarrassing ‘Little Mermaid’ leotard my mother thought was cute, that was a direct invitation for the 5th form girls to crucify me and that was the end of my gymnast career.
Who was I kidding anyway, I couldn’t even do a backward crawl I was THAT heavy! So I learnt from that experience. Never wear Disney over the age of 10, (this rule applied back in the old days, we weren’t lucky enough to have ‘High School Musical’ or ‘Camp Rock’, those times were still about the animated cartoons!) and never to try to be a gymnast if you were a ‘porker’.
However it didn’t stop me from trying. It didn’t stop me from learning through my mistakes and admitting when I was wrong. I guess I was always the type of person to think I’d rather live without regrets and not keep asking “what if?” Just taking the plunge has always been my motto.
When I attended St. Aloysius 6th form, a ‘systems of knowledge’ teacher had debuted in class by claiming “Opinions are like A******, everybody’s got one and everyone thinks that everyone else’s stinks” needless to say after much eyebrow raising amongst the class cause of the ‘A’ word, we quickly learnt what he meant and till this day I tend to agree in some way. There are so many people who will nod their heads in disapproval, shrug their shoulders fold their arms and stand there telling you, you can’t do something.
How much worse was it when people were told they couldn’t do something because of their gender or the colour of their skin. Gender inequality is still an issue I feel very strongly about. Celebrating Women’s Day a few weeks ago, papers and magazines are dripping with pie charts, figures, percentages of women who constitute the working world as career women, others who are working mothers etc. Whilst I am encouraged by the way forward in our country and women’s approach to life nowadays, I can’t help but mention that certain respect towards a woman in certain lines of work is still non existent.
I should know well enough. Mind you the Maltese public has always been very supportive, but I’ve had to ignore a few of fellow male musicians’ rants. I guess one never wins. If you don’t fit the stereotype ‘size 0’ female artist, then you MIGHT have a chance at being referred to as talented, if you happen to take care of yourself and not look anything like Camilla Parker Bowles then you’re just a ‘pretty face’ who had it all fall in your lap! Let’s not even go through being over looked for certain jobs if you happen to be a woman and on a funny note, let’s conveniently forget the sweeping statement of all times about our driving!
Sometimes I think that days where skin colour was an issue are far gone and I think that people cannot possibly discriminate till this day, not with so many years of history which talks about so many injustices, deaths of innocent people, turmoil and grief. Then, I wake up and smell the coffee. I tell myself it’s 2009 and only a few years ago stadiums were taunting African American players during football matches, segregation is still a common practice not only in the U.S but also in Europe. Well I’m sure you don’t need me telling you these things, I just thought I’d raise the issue though, since I just can’t stand other human beings being so damn intolerant with each other.
Only last week I received an email from a person I don’t even know. The language on it was atrocious and it was full of hatred and statements, which were reminiscent of Neolithic times!!! One look at it and my stomach was going to hurl. I don’t appreciate being part of any racist ‘hate’ club thank you very much! I am well aware of the problems my country is undergoing, but I am very well aware that we are all Human beings, and that IF we are so called Roman Catholics then let’s act like some!
I admire the underdog in any society. The way a minority can climb up and follow their dreams. I’m not talking about stepping on other people’s toes whilst doing that. I’m not talking about endangering or tampering with anyone’s future whilst doing that either. I’m talking about believing in your capacities no matter how old or young you are, what gender or what colour you are.
“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.” —Article 1 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights