#AllWelcome reflection by Russell S

Ahsbu ftit.... Sa issa qadt lura milli nitkellem fuq dawn l-imberkin stickers, ridt nixtarr u nara kif tizvolgi l-istorja, ghal bidu ghedt “mhux affarija, jien ma ghadnix involut u personalment ma ghandix bzonn dawn l-istickers”… imma x hin rajt certu kummenti ma stajtx nibqa sieket… Nibda billi nghid li niehu gost nara hafna nies jghidu li ma hemx bzonn dawn l-istickers ghax sinjal li il-maggoranza, jemmnu fid-diversita u fl-ugwaljanza, pero nitlobkom qabel tkomplu il-kritika harxa ahsbu dwar dan dan li gej: 1. Din hi inizjattiva intiza biex it-turisti ikollhom idea ta fejn l-istaff jirrispettaw id-diversita, u mhux biex tiggustifika diskriminazzjoni, Personalment jien kemm il-darba kont imsiefer f’pajjizi gay friendly u gieli uzajt dawn l-istickers ghax tawni idea fejn jekk perezempju inkun mal boyfriend jew ma xi date mhux se jkolli hars bl-ikrah, tghajjir jew nistenna li naqla xi daqqa ta xi oggett.. ghalkemm hemm turisti li jafu li malta gay friendly hafna minnhom ikunu xettici u ihossuhom aktar komdi imorru postijiet li huma specifically gay friendly… qed tghati l-option lil min jixtieqa.. No harm in that nahseb. 2. Dawn l-istickers jinstabu f’kull pajjiz LGBT friendly u kultant f’pajjizi inqas friendly pero zgur mhux se issibhom f’ pajjizi homophobic bhal Iran u l-Iraq. Li hadt gost hu li business ma jinghatax sticker u tieqaf hemm, imma biex ikollok l-isticker trid tinghata tahrig ta kif tagixxi ma persuni diversi ez klassiku hu kif tindirizza persuni transgender... ghaliex ma niehdux gost li hwienet se jinghataw training fuq diversita? missa tkun obligatorja anzi meta tigi impjegat…. Sa certu punt narahha qisek qed twahhal sticker ta trip advisor ghal suq diverse.… u min jahseb li diskriminazzjoni ma tigrix f’pajjizna nghidilkom li ftit tax-xhur ilu kien hemm accident f’paceville fejn allegatament persuna gay ma inghatatx servizz minhabba “il-look” tieghu (minjaf kemm tigri u ma tigix rappurtata) 3. Lil hbieb tieghi LGBT, ahsbu ftit ghaliex meta tmorru certu pajjizi u mhux ohra u ghaliex meta inkunu Londra imorru soho u Vauxhall? Ghaliex nitilghu madrid u toqodu fic-chueca? immorru clubbing gol-gay village ta manchester and so on? allura dawn l-istickers biex jghinu lit-turisti li jigu izuruna qed naraw zejda? sahha ma ghandniex xi scene, ghalmenu gew izuruna ikollhom rashom mistrieha li ghalmenu fejn se jzuru (jekk iridu) huma gay friendly places. 4. B’l-argument li ma ghandniex ghalfejn dawn l-istickers ghax kollox mainstream (j’alla) missna nghalqu l-ahhar gaybar li hawn malta u ma nibqawx nghamlu attivitajiet socjali lgbt bhal parties u “safe” spaces etc la ahna mainstream, la insult? ma ghandniex x’nghamlu bihom. 5. Fost in nies li kitbu li ma jaqblux ma l-isticker hemm nies tal-lemin estrem, “kristjani” u razzisti, fosthom persuna li biex minghalija tirridikola persuna trans bdiet apposta tindirizzah bil generu li kellu qabel fuq waqt programm fuq l-istazzjon nazzjonali 6. u ovjament il-PN… jghid li huwa insult…. ghalija insult hu meta waqt li tkun qed tastjeni ghal unjoni civili, thares lejn il-persuni LGBT li kien hemm fil poarlament u titbissem (kont hemm jien prezenti) 7. Jiddispjacini ninnonta li ghaqdiet li ma hadux stand dwar is-suggett, huma stess ghandhom il-“pink pages” lista ta business, li jghidu li huma “gay friendly”… hallikhom mit- take note tas-,situation hudu stand jew tajba jew hazina.. mhux tibzaw halli la tfuhu u qas tintnu… jekk tajbin il-pink pages tajbin dawn l-istickers ukoll... inkella nehhu kollox 8. “All Welcome” ghogbitni ghax mhux biss ghal LGBT imma hemm potenzjali li tizviluppa f’umbrella ghad diversita kollha… niehu gost nara li il-qawsalla qeda tevolvi biex tkopri id-diversita f’kull forma tahha. 9. Jiddispjacini hafna li certu individwi fosthom persuni LGBT li qatt ma ghamlu xejn ghal komunita (u kienu whud mill-ewwel nies li ibbenefikaw min xoghol haddiehor) qedin jghajtu biex itajru lil Gabi Calleja milli “tirraprezentana”, Sorry tant ma inthomx involuti li l-anqas biss tafu li Gabi ilha xhur li irizenjat mill MGRM, Jekk ma taqblux mahha tistghu tkellmu mahha, meruha u cert li tismakom, nahseb wara il-hidma kollha tahha anke jekk ma taqbilx mahha ghandek turi decenza u rispett… nahseb li ir-raguni ghaliex dawn l-istickers qed narawhom zejda huwa minhabba is-success li kisbet din il-mara… minflok tgergru u tmaqdru get involved u be the change… Mhux qed nippretendi li naqblu imma ghalmenu zommu dan f'mohhkom - x P.S. Iddecidejt li mhux se nwiegeb kwalunque kumment fuq din il-post