Gay Guide Malta

The age of consent for all is 18 years, sexual acts with minors are punishable if the minor(s) themselves or their parents report it to the police. In recent years, the situation for LGBT has improved considerably with the introduction of the registered partnership in April 2014. The law guarantees registered partnerships the same rights and obligations as heterosexual marriage, including adoption rights. Malta also adopted a Gender Identity Act in April 2015, which gives everyone the right to choose which gender category they feel they belong to. Transgender Europe, a non-governmental organisation dedicated to human rights, described the new law as internationally groundbreaking. Malta's accession to the EU has brought some improvements, such as the adoption of new rules to prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation at the workplace. It was the first European country to enshrine the protection of gender identity in the Constitution in 2014. In July 2017, 66 out of 67 MEPs voted in favour of a government bill allowing same-sex couples to marry. Malta now has an active gay lobby, especially in the capital Valletta there is a small gay scene. There has been an annual Pride Week since 2010, taking place in September with a colourful programme and the Pride March as the highlight. The publicity of gay issues in the media increases with a generally positive coverage. There are virtually no cases of violence against gays, and harassment for sexual orientation is also rare.