Inclusion and respect
Politics is best driven by vision. And invariably tested by fate.
Behind any vision are not just abstract goals, but the values held by those pushing for change. The trouble is that most people in the public eye are complex, contradictory. They may do the right things for the wrong reason and the wrong things for the right reasons.
So, it is refreshing when politicians do what they set out to do and what they believe in.
Almost a decade ago in conversation with Fabian Picardo, I said to him that when history came to judge him, if it is fair, his most important legacy will be the positive transformation and modernisation of attitudes towards each other. The social change. Bringing Gibraltar in line with basic human rights as protected and defended in the modern capitals of Europe and, despite Trump, the key cities in the US.
Pride marches have been taking place all over Europe for many years, but until recently LGBTQ+ events in Gibraltar could not happen as a celebratory occasion with general public support and engagement. Even just a couple of decades ago such an event was unthinkable.
They were something one saw perhaps in London, Paris or New York.
It was significant, especially as we head towards a General Election, that Opposition Leader Keith Azopardi joined in, as he has done before, promising ‘respect’ and a moving forward not rollback for Gibraltar’s gay community. Atrish Sanchez the GSD MP put out the message that the GSD is committed to “equality, dignity, diversity, inclusion and respect”.
Accompanied by bright pictures and smiles on X that match the energy of Government’s own rights champion, the ubiquitous Equality Minister Christian Santos, this is an important response to the current GSLP’s hold on an important sector of the electorate.
The GSD move to “inclusion” and not just respect is notable. Inclusion cuts away more boundaries, allows people to feel that they are valued in the community.
For politicos it may also lead to speculation as to where Azopardi is heading when he chooses his next line-up and our eyes open wide to see if all potential candidates will sign-up to Azopardi’s more progressive stance.
None of this detracts from the respect that people should have for each other’s moral and or religious views. But neither should any decent person feel they have to live a clandestine life.
UNNATURAL
Until the ‘unnatural offences’ law in Gibraltar was changed in late 1992, ahead of Ireland it should be said though 25 years after UK, gay consensual sex risked life imprisonment. The repeated statement that there were few, if any, people charged, did not detract from the stigma and psychological damage this must have done to people living in the shadows. The law change in 1992 set the age of homosexual consent to 18 and decriminalised buggery between consenting adults.
The change did not come through any sense of principle or push for human rights, but rather was a process of pressure from UK.
In my recent tribute to Felix Pizzarello I mentioned that in the early 1980s the then Foreign Secretary, Sir Geoffrey Howe, was pressing Sir Joshua Hassan and the Gibraltar Government to decriminalise homosexuality. The pressure was on from a European Court of Human Rights decision and human rights organisations including Stonewall. The arrival of the GSLP in 1988 changed little, not because there were any strong feelings or homophobia within that party, but because it was seen as an area best left unstirred.
In early 1992, as Europe Minister, Tristan Garel-Jones had written to then Chief Minister Joe Bossano on the need to bring the laws in Gibraltar in line with UK and modern Europe. Archive reports following regular meetings between Bossano, the Governor, Deputy Governor and assistant Deputy Governor note the situation.
Andrew Carter, then Deputy Governor, reporting to London June 25 1992 says “The CM referred to Mr Garel-Jones’ letter. This was a problem for him. Homosexuality was not at present an issue in Gibraltar; No one would dream of enforcing the law. Legislation would risk opening a damaging debate. Would he for example have to consider also questions such as sex discrimination and animal rights? HE (the Governor) suggested CM reply to Mr Garel-Jones saying that a cautious approach would be needed, with wide consultation in Gibraltar. CM said he would need to check carefully the implications of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.”
A few weeks later on August 21 a similar meeting. “HE mentioned the recent Chronicle report. CM said he was looking at what had been done in other places and would be considering ways of legislating in the least controversial manner. But he still did not accept that this was a major issue in Gibraltar. People were tolerant. In his 14 years in the Trade Union movement, he had found no signs of discrimination. The recent report did not ring true to him as it implied there was.”
The article referred to appears to be a piece in the Gibraltar Chronicle of June 17th 1992 where Stonewall was threating to take Britain to the European Court of Human rights over Gibraltar’s failure to change the law.
In the House of Assembly debate, on changing the law, later that year a free vote was allowed and several members abstained. Peter Caruana, then Opposition leader, made the distinction between accepting the law should change, which he did, and the moral position people were nonetheless entitled to hold.
Of course, this law was very specific, and the Pride parade celebrates a much wider world view and values.
The public stance taken subsequently, but in still not-so-liberal 1990s and noughties, by people like Charlie Trico and Felix Alvarez seeking to move the position beyond mere tolerance, was the grass roots start of a broader emancipation. In fact, Alvarez led a Pride event in 2013.
What is significant now is that since 2022 a Chief Minister has moved this agenda of his own volition, shifting this from an issue of protest to one of celebration.
On a totally distinct issue, but one of inclusivity, Matthew Turnock eloquently voiced the case for adoption of the UN disabilities convention. Given the affluence reflected in our community we can surely take on these obligations. Gibraltar must feel like an obstacle course for people with disabilities.
JUST ONE MORE THING…
In under a fortnight a switch in traffic signs will signal the biggest change to our normal daily lives (Covid aside) since the February 5 1985 border opening. There are black cabs with engines that purr Rule Britannia, Union Jack hats and all ears on the mantra of ‘sovereignty-neutral’. There will, no doubt, be theatre on both the Sanchez and Picardo sides of the removed border.
Vox’s views on the Treaty are helpful in the immediate - if they don’t like it, it must be good - but it’s their and any PP’s possible future action for which we need to be prepared.
As the practical experience of a fully fluid frontier is realised - hopefully not too much more traffic undoes the benefit - local politics will begin to focus on political direction.
Whilst chanting ‘British, British, British’, Gibraltar has adopted, maintained maybe, a more flexible European vision of sovereignty, one that distinguishes between pooling powers and holding the ultimate lever. That’s a distinction that Brexiteers would not accept and drove them to be ‘freed’ from Brussels.
We are not Brexiteers but given some of the things we have accepted with the Treaty - e.g. less use of the port, matching EU levies, external supervision of and influence on our immigration - the departing words of Tom Guy, the CBF, to our Editor last week had a certain poignance.
“One of the critical things was for us (MOD) to be able to bring our ships and our aeroplanes and our people and our stuff by military means in and out of here as a sovereign nation, as we had done before,” he said.
“Anything else would be a diminishment of our sovereignty.”
