“As Someone In The Community, I Felt Very Uncomfortable”: PN Activist On Borg Manché’s LGBTQ+ Remarks

PN activist and former MEP candidate Lee Bugeja Bartolo has distanced himself from comments made by PN MP Conrad Borg Manché regarding Pride and LGBTQ+ issues, telling the newsroom the remarks left him feeling “very uncomfortable”.

This comes after newly-elected PN MP Conrad Borg Manché argued in a recent interview that Pride no longer makes sense because the LGBTQ+ community has achieved legal equality and widespread social acceptance in Malta.

In an exclusive comment to Lovin Malta, Bugeja Bartolo said: “As someone who is in the community, I feel very uncomfortable with the comments. They’re very short-sighted.”

While acknowledging that Malta has made significant progress on LGBTQ+ rights, he argued that legal equality does not mean advocacy is no longer necessary.

“It’s true that we now have civil rights, but that doesn’t mean we should stop highlighting their importance. The same applies to issues like Women’s Day. Women can now vote, we now see women in positions of power, and so on. That being said, progress doesn’t mean the conversation is over.”

Bugeja Bartolo went on to stress that Borg Manché is “just one deputy within the PN”.

“There are many diverging opinions within the party, and I’m sure he wasn’t speaking as an official spokesperson,” he said, adding that the comments risk undermining efforts to advance LGBTQ+ inclusion.

“These comments hurt me and many others like me. Just because discrimination has decreased doesn’t mean it no longer exists.”

He went on to say that while people “should be prudent in Pride celebrations”, “this applies to every faction of society”.

“This type of rhetoric sets the movement back.”

Despite his criticism, Bugeja Bartolo said he holds no personal animosity towards Borg Manché.

“I have nothing personal against Conrad. In fact, I admired his activism work on Manoel Island and how he is able to speak on matters so candidly. I’m still willing to work with him, but these comments definitely crossed a line,” Bugeja Bartolo told the newsroom.

What do you think of Borg Manché’s comments?

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Clara Sciberras

Clara is a massive foodie who recently graduated from the University of Malta as a lawyer. Her biggest passions in life are the performing arts, which she pursues professionally when she’s not too busy writing.