Il-KTIEB ROZA: Dnub, Dizordni u Delitt? (The Pink Book: A Sin, A Disorder and a Crime?) is the first book on homosexuality in the Maltese language. It has eight chapters:

 

Chapter 1: Homosexuality

Chapter 2: Homosexuals

Chapter 3: Homosexuals and the Family

Chapter 4: Homosexuals and the State

Chapter 5: Homosexuals and the Church

Chapter 6: Homosexuals and Society

Chapter 7: Homosexuals and AIDS

Chapter 8: Homosexuality and Human Rights.

 

The book was launched on 18 February 1997, in Malta, by Evarist Bartolo, then Minister of Education and Culture, on the popular radio program "Il-parlament tal-poplu" (the people's parliament), hosted by prominent lawyer Dr Emy Bezzina. The book had its gay launching at the Lizard Lounge in Floriana on 16 February 1997.

 

The book attracted extensive media coverage. In-Nazzjon, a popular conservative newspaper, devoted three pages to the book. Domenican philosopher Fr Mark Montebello OP described it as one of the most exceptional books to be published in Malta in the last few decades. The book and its author are listed in Professor Maurice Cauchi's Maltese Achievers in Australia (2006).

 

Many have credited the book with putting homosexuality back on Malta's national agenda.

 

COMMENTS

 

Fih informazzjoni importanti dwar l-omosesswali u l-omosesswalita. Fih l-awtur iwiegeb ghal diversi mistoqsijiet li bosta huma li jixtiequ jistaqsuhom izda forsi la qatt ma sabu kuragg u lanqas qatt ma sabu lil min iwegibhom.

It contains important information about homosexuals and homosexuality. In it, the author answers various questions that many are keen to ask but for lack of courage to ask them or an inability to find someone who can answer their questions.

In-Nazzjon, 15 ta' Frar 1997, 19.

 

Bla dubju ta' xejn l-inizzjattiva ta' Dr Chetcuti hija wahda kuragguza u f'waqtha. F'waqtha ghaliex wasal iz-zmien li l-Maltin jindunaw li l-omosesswali huma persuna bhal kulhadd, bi drittijiet daqs kulhadd.

Without doubt, Dr Chetcuti's initiative is timely and one of courage. It is timely because the time has come for Maltese to realize that a homosexual is a person like any other, with all his rights like ours.

L-Alternattiva, 21 ta' Frar - 7 Marzu 1998, 2.

 

Il-Malta Gay Support Group ... jesprimu solidarjeta u l-appogg taghhom ma' l-Avukat Joseph Chetcuti.... Niehdu l-opportunita biex nifirhu lill-Avukat Chetcuti li jinsab fostna mill-Awstralja....

The Malta Gay Support Group supports lawyer Joseph Chetcuti and expresses solidarity with him .... We take this opportunity to congratulate lawyer Chetcuti who is among us from Australia.

Malta Gay Support Group, Torca, 19 ta' Jannar 1997, 22.

 

Joseph ivvampa lill-kommunita omosesswali. Harigha mill-bejta tal-grieden. Qed jistedinha tassumi profil. Tassumi dinjita.... Forsi bdejna nwarrbu totem iehor tat-tabu. Forsi.

Joseph has fired up the homosexual community. He pulled the community out of its hole. He invites it to take a higher profile. Perhaps we are starting to demolish one of the taboos. Perhaps.

Mario Azzopardi, In-Nazzjoni (Opinjoni, Kontrokurrent), 24 ta' Frar 1997, 13.

 

Smajt lil Dr Chetcuti jisfida lill-Kurja u lill-Isqfijiet Maltin u jinterpreta l-Bibbja 'skond kif jaqbel'. U Dr Bezzina ... ma jhossx il-htiega ta' rapprezentat fl-istudio min-naha tal-Kurja ....

I heard Dr Chetcuti challenging the Curia and the Maltese bishops and interpreting the Bible as it suits him. And Dr Bezzina.... does not see the need to invite a Curia representative to the studio.

Joe Cassar, Media Line, 26 ta' Frar 1997.

 

The Archbishop's Curia yesterday laid out the Church's teaching on homosexuality in view, it said, of certain attacks being made against the Catholic Church and its teachings on the subject.

The Times, 1 March 1997, 20.

 

L-istqarrija titlobna biex nuru moghdrija ma' l-omosesswali. Moghdrija? Ta' xiex irridu naghdruhom? Ghax ma nhalluhomx jghixu hajja normali. Jew ghandna bzonn l-'abnormalita' ta' l-omosesswali biex kontinwament naccettaw ruhna li ahna 'normali'?

The statement asks us to have pity on homosexuals. Pity? Why do they need our pity? Why should we not let them lead a normal life? Or do we need the 'abnormality' of homosexuals to help us see ourselves as 'normal'?

Joe Azzopardi, Jien Mignun, Spektrum, 9 ta' Marzu 1997, 15.

 

Dr J Chetcuti ... asks also the arrogant question "if and how many cases of sexual abuse by members of the clergy and religious orders and societies have come to the attention of ecclesiastical authorities in Malta."

Professor Joseph Aquilina, The Times, 23 March 1997, 17.

 

Il-Ktieb ir-Roza ... hu wiehed mill-aktar kotba eccezzjonali li hargu f'Malta f'dawn l-ahhar ghexieren ta' snin ... jindika mentalita ghal kollox gdida li qieghda tikber kuljum f'Malta, imma wkoll il-liberta tal-hsieb, l-espressjoni u l-agir li bdiet toktor f'pajjizna fi zmien postkolonjali. Minn dan il-latt biss, il-ktieb diga g]andu certu siwi. Imma r-R ma jiqax hemm.

The Pink Book ... is one of the most exceptional of the last few decades that have been published in Malta ... it sets out a totally new mentality that is on the increase in Malta, but is also for freedom of expression, an expression that has been on the rise in postcolonial Malta. From this angle alone, the book is already valuable. But the book does not stop there.

Fr Mark Montebello OP, Il-Ktieb tal-Filosofija f'Malta - It-Tieni Volum (M-Z), Malta, 2001, 151.

 

MALTESE COMMUNITY COUNCIL OF VICTORIA

BANS TALK ON BOOK

 

On 29 May 2007, the author was scheduled to give a talk at the Maltese Community Centre in Parkville (Victora). The title of the talk was: Ten Years On! Il-Ktieb Roza: Dnub, Dizordni u Deltt? (The Pink Book: A Sin, A Disorder and a Crime?) and the birth of the gay movement in Malta. In late April 2007, the MCCV Inc banned the talk on the ground that, as it claimed, the talk would offend the Roman Catholic sentiments and beliefs of the Maltese. The ban took place a few days after Victorian Premier Steve Bracks, a Roman Catholic, announced the introduction of a register for same-sex couples.

 

At no stage did the MCCV Inc make any effort to enquire about the contents of the talk.

 

So much for the Council's claim that it represents all Maltese in Australia and that the Maltese community in Victoria has successfully integrated into the wider Australian community! If anything, the ban puts on full view the deep cultural freeze that cloaks those who make themselves out to be the representatives of the Maltese community in Australia.

 

http://www.dailymalta.com/wt/2007/05/secular-vs-religous.shtml

http://gayrepublic.org/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1109

http://www.susans.org/forums/index.php?topic=13010.0

http://www.floridablade.com/bladewire/index.cfm?start1=4/29/07&end1=5/6/07&syndicate=

http://gayegypt.stores.yahoo.net/mal1ad.html

http://www.lawyerscompete.com/13397.html