Guest Post: Abortion In Malta Is Inevitable. Be On The Right Side Of History
Life has always been the best teacher. If we look throughout the recent history of our country we can immediately realize and finally learn that with each generational shift, morality and social progress in our society took the same path to be achieved.
I will not go back to the days when Malta achieved its independence. I also won’t go through the times were the socialist regime engulfed our country during most parts of the 1980’s. Yet I will discuss from the times when Malta started its journey to join the European Union.
Going back to the 1998 General Election, it was inevitable that the party in government was going to be crushed at the polls. Although Alfred Sant meant well in most of his ideas, he should have known that you can never take on a giant like Mintoff and win.
PN had all the ammunition they needed to win that election and immediately from day one after they got power back, they started working on convincing the nation that our place belongs in the European Union.
Malta celebrates EU accession in 2004 (Photo: Malta Chamber)
At the time the consensus in the country was that the older generations, those that had less education and those that had very deep socialist or conservative values, were adamant that Malta doesn’t belong in the European Union.
Malta’s youths, led by the wisdom of some of the greatest leaders our country has ever seen, sold its European Union dream as something of the future, something where we belong, something that will take us to newer heights.
Those in favour of the European Union faced great adversity, yet it was the right thing to do and we did it. It wasn’t easy as all of us campaigning for the EU were initially ridiculed at every meeting, yet we knew that it was inevitable, we knew that it would happen, and then it finally happened.
Fast forward a few years and after all the success the EU brought our country, a new movement started to grow. The LGBTIQ+ movement started gaining momentum and started to grow slowly.
For many years, unfortunately, these brothers and sisters of ours were ridiculed. I remember one of the early Pride marches I attended when I was asked by the media to justify my attendance despite not being gay myself.
Nowadays, fast forward a decade, no one in their right mind will dare ask me that question as they know the answer. People attend these events because it’s the right thing to do. The civil liberties achieved in the last decade weren’t a coincidence, but a culmination of battles fought by the liberal army that is slowly growing every day.
Once again, even though everyone knew that it was difficult for these liberties to be achieved, we knew that it was inevitable, we knew it would come to pass and it eventually happened.
Now fast forward to this day and age. The pro-choice movement in Malta is growing every day. I remember a few years back when most people used to be petrified of talking in favour of choice as they would be publicly castrated.
A pro-choice rally in Valletta last weekend (Photo: Women's Rights Foundation)
Nowadays anyone that is willing to talk in favour of choice is finally finding their voice and finding the support they need to publicly share their opinion. Just as it happened in the past with the European Union movement and with the LGBTIQ+ and civil liberties movement, everything will start at being opposed, then it will evolve into being accepted until finally, it will end up by being celebrated.
I wholeheartedly urge everyone that truly believes in equality, those who truly believe that everyone should have autonomy on themselves, those who have partners, daughters and female friends and colleagues, and most of all, anyone who believes in what is right; to be on the right side of history.
Once again, this is inevitable, and it will happen. I’m so proud that even though I was ridiculed at everything I championed throughout my life, the right thing always won.
Be on the right side of history and within a few years when what needs to pass will pass, you too can celebrate this victory together with all those women around you, some of whom are dearest to you.
Cover photo: Left: A pro-choice rally in Valletta last Sunday (Photo: Women’s Rights Foundation), Right: Alan Abela-Wadge
Alan Abela-Wadge is a lifestyle blogger and a former PN councillor of Msida
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