This small island is an unlikely haven of tolerance in the Mediterranean

When you say Malta, you might think of medieval knights and castles in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. Nonetheless, this small nation has a lot of things to offer to visitors and locals alike.

With less than 500,000 people, Malta is the tiniest member of the European Union. However, despite its size, this country is big in tolerance, human rights, and progressive values.

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In 2016, TIME magazine labelled this small country located between Sicily and North Africa as having “the most progressive gay rights” in all of Europe.

Malta became in December 2016 the first country within the European Union to ban conversion therapy, something that many European countries have yet to do.

According to German news agency DW, Malta is the European leader on LGBTQ rights as reported by a 2023 study done by the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA).

The ILGA study positioned Malta above the usual suspects, such as Finland, Spain, the United Kingdom, and The Netherlands. Poland, meanwhile, was dead last within the European Union.

The BBC reported that, by January 2024, Malta was one of the five countries in the whole world to protect LGBTQ rights at a constitutional level.

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Many people wonder why such a small country with a Catholic majority has evolved to be at the front of LGBTQ rights in Europe.

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Some believe that Malta’s induction into the European Union, followed by a booming tourism, made the country embrace a more open and tolerant mindset.

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Other experts point out to the Maltese government, which has been dominated by the social democratic Labour Party since 2013, first with the leadership of Joseph Muscat and then followed by Robert Abela, the current Prime Minister.

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In a January 2024 piece, the BBC highlights the legacy of Katya Saunders, an international Maltese model and transgender pioneer that helped to give a face and a voice to the island’s LGBTQ population in the 1970s and 1980s.

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However, despite all the progressive values Malta seems to proclaim, it’s still very conservative in many ways.

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According to The Guardian, abortion was illegal in all cases in Malta until 2023, when it was modified to include cases where the pregnant mother’s life was at risk.

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Malta has also lagged behind other EU nations when it comes to policies addressing HIV/AIDS and PrEP medication.

The BBC also highlights that the Maltese government has yet to pass legislation that protects LGBTQ people in the workplace.

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Nonetheless, Malta has been heading towards the right direction for quite some time and there’s little doubt this small nation will continue to give us lots of surprises.

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