Teachers have a very important role to play in helping combat the stigma that still exists around children raised in same-sex families, according to Professor Angela Abela.
"The biggest worry about same-sex parenting has to do with stigma and bullying of children and we should do our utmost to counteract that... Sectors of the public are not always prepared for change and it is extremely important to think of active inclusive strategies to help these children," Prof. Abela, who is the head of the Department of Family Studies within the Faculty of Social Wellbeing, said.
She was speaking during a seminar entitled 'Perspectives of Rainbow Families' organised by human rights NGO Aditus, the Malta Gay Rights Movement and the University of Malta's Faculty of Social Wellbeing.
She said schools played a crucial role in educating children and their parents and teaching them the value of tolerance.
It was also important to listen more to children and academics had a responsibility to honour what the research said and come together to discuss what research should be carried out to give a good future to children.
Prof. Abela was sharing some thoughts following a presentation by Prof. Susan Golombok - the director of the Centre for Family Research within the University of Cambridge, UK.
Prof. Golombok gave an overview of 35 years of international research on whether lesbian mothers and gay fathers were fit parents.
Research found no differences in psychological adjustment and gender development of children raised by lesbian or gay parents. There were no differences in the amount of children who grew up to be heterosexual although girls raised by lesbian mothers were more likely to explore same-sex relationships even though they were not necessarily lesbian.
However, there were differences in that children brought up by gay parents were more exposed to stigmatisation about their families, she said
Civil Liberties Minister Helena Dalli said this was an important year for the recognition of family rights with the introduction of the civil union law.
"I long for the day when we look at sexual orientation as a matter of fact, like the colour in our eyes... we will discuss families in all of their diversity accordingly," she said.