With reference to an article published in ‘The Times’ newspaper on 23 April 2013 entitled ‘Bill on same-sex civil unions by summer’, the government has set up a consultative council where the selected organizations are: The Malta Gay Rights Movement (MGRM), Drachma, Drachma Parents Support Group, the students group ‘We Are’, Aditus, and LGBT Labour.
As reported, the council was formed in the wake of a first reading in Parliament of a bill to amend the civil code, to enable people who undergo gender reassignment to marry a person of the opposite gender.
In addition, this council would also be tasked to address LGBT issues; re-visit the gender identity bill; address homophobia through improved education, along with tackling harassment and bullying in schools.
Hence, the government would be seeking this council’s advice and gather information on a number of sensitive matters, ranging from education of early age students, to organizations which, I believe, are involved in controversial arguments with society, including groups with ideas of a certain behaviour and lifestyle, which operate contrary to the proper use of human nature.
I firmly feel that, when the government is faced with such facts, which indicate that there is a high risk of subjecting the “True Family Institution” in jeopardy (by “True Family Institution” I am referring to marriage between one born man and one born woman until death), and which could also expose children to mental and emotional confusion, it becomes indispensable for the politicians that the source/s from where they seek advice and gather information are authentic, reliable, genuine, unfailing and morally correct.
For these reasons, the government needs to ensure that this consultative council consists of a variety of members, who are qualified experts with experience in the fields of medical science, psychiatry, moral philosophy, law, and a conduct of good ethical standards.
In this respect, I also feel that both the politicians and all the members of the council must themselves embrace sound moral principles and a conduct of good ethical stability.
It is also of vital importance that children should be taught correct moral and ethical principles from an early age; and if the authorities fail to provide such education, I believe that this would put children in harms way during their childhood, and which would then develop into much more serious problems later in life.
Furthermore, I believe that the government should respect the right of the Catholic Church to nominate persons to represent Her in this consultative council.
Experimenting with decisions which are not in conformity with the “True Family Institution” should not be an option. This irreplaceable institution must always be defended and strengthened, because any change to its original structure would result in negative consequences on society, and which, sooner or later, would have to be shouldered by society itself.
The logical unfailing truth which continually reminds us since time immemorial is that: “What you sow you reap”, and this simple reality proved that when the authorities failed in their decisions, these resulted in deep scars and resentment among society.
Questions to the Civil Authorities:
1. If a man undergoes surgery to remove his private organs and in their place perform a special incision, would that mean that he becomes a she?
2. Similarly, if a woman undergoes surgery to remove her breasts and her womb, and perhaps, if possible, implant some staff in her private organ, would that mean that she becomes a man?
3. On what basis do the civil authorities rest upon to make sure that the gender reassignment surgery changes a man into a true woman, and not into a fake woman?
4. When a man undergoes gender reassignment surgery, would the civil authorities accept to change also his birth certificate, to show that he was a female at birth? If the civil authorities accept to do this, wouldn’t this be deceit regarding the true gender of that person at birth?
Raymond Bezzina
Kirkop