Community Voice Spotlight: LGBTI+ Gozo

Check out our spotlight interview on the MCAST CSR Newsletter! From humble beginnings to a growing, vibrant community, check out LGBTI+ Gozo's history and outreach over the last decade!

Can you tell us about LGBT+ Gozo, its mission, and how the organisation first came together?

LGBTI+ Gozo is the first and only LGBTIQ+ organisation in Gozo offering valuable support, services, and visibility for LGBTIQ+ persons and their families. Established in 2015, the organisation began when a group of LGBTIQ+ Gozitan youths recognised that Gozo lacked a safe space where LGBTIQ+ voices and lives could thrive. What started as meetings on park benches and cafes blossomed into a strong community of individuals who advocate for inclusion, equality, and diversity. LGBTI+ Gozo has become a key player in promoting equality while providing a safe space for queer Gozitans to express their pride through a number of social events, awareness campaigns, and educational programs. The organisation offers a variety of services to queer youths and elders, and parents of queer individuals, and works with educators, civil societies and the general public to provide community outreach to facilitate diversity and inclusion within the Gozitan community. LGBTI+ Gozo works to educate the public and ensure that queer people on the island of Gozo receive equal rights when it comes to healthcare, work opportunities, and safety. 

What are some of the main goals you are currently working towards in supporting the LGBTQ+ community in Gozo and Malta?

Apart from our bi-monthly social events, educational campaigns and training, LGBTI+ Gozo is involved in numerous initiatives to bring awareness, representation, and visibility to LGBTIQ+ communities. We are currently working on expanding our free counselling programme, offering accessible mental health services to the community. We have three funded projects ongoing, which focus on anti-gender narratives, a harmful ideology that gender diversity endangers the status quo. We are working on producing a documentary exploring the lived experiences of persons impacted by gender norms and stereotypes and how this leads to violence and harm, through the Together We Empower initiative funded by the Commission for Gender Based Violence and Domestic Violence and riformi. We are also working on a targeted campaign through the VOPS fund, instituted by MCVS, which draws attention to how gender norms influence how people experience themselves and the world and how such norms contribute to harmful narratives. Lastly, we are engaged in the BOOST scheme through Agenzija Zghazagh to amplify our resources, including our free gender affirming products like chest binders. LGBTI+ Gozo also organises Gozo Pride which takes place in September each year. This year is our 5th Pride, which includes a Pride March and Village, and after party, and a week of celebrations. 

What are the most common challenges or issues that LGBTQ+ individuals in Gozo still face today?

In 2025, LGBTI+ Gozo with support from the Human Rights Directorate, carried out research on LGBTIQ+ inclusivity in Gozo. What emerged was the primary challenge of 'double insularity' where LGBTIQ+ individuals who form part of a small, marginalised community, also exist within a small island community, where stigma may be amplified, and access to services and inclusivity is limited. People felt that significant barriers to being open about their sexuality or gender identity were the tendency for gossip to spread and fear that their families would be affected by outside judgement. Many explained that they are only open about their orientations and identities when in Malta, where anonymity and personal safety is enhanced. Religious beliefs and generational intolerance were also leading barriers. Most importantly, these challenges prohibit people from being open about themselves and contribute to mental health issues, particularly for transgender individuals. Microaggressions and bullying are still common issues LGBTIQ+ individuals face in Gozo. While a shifting mentality was noted, participants agreed that change is a marathon rather than a sprint, and social change in Gozo still has a long way to go. 

How important is visibility and community support in helping young LGBTQ+ people feel safe and accepted, especially in smaller communities like Gozo?

Visibility and community support are vital for LGBTIQ+ persons, especially young people. They are often the difference between feeling isolated and feeling like you belong. Visibility helps us feel like our experiences are normal, accepted, and celebrated. That we aren't the only ones who feel this way. They also help us connect terminology to our experiences and name what we are experiencing. Visibility initiatives like Pride also help us feel connected to our larger community, that we are part of something bigger. For young people, seeing LGBTIQ+ representation socially, in the media, in our schools and spaces, tells them that they are safe and seen. It also shows young people the kind of future and life they can have, which might be impacted by outside stigma. For example, seeing an LGBTIQ+ couple with a thriving family tells young people they can amount to and have all the same things that heterosexual persons have, like relationships, families, careers, and lives. Visibility also shows the strength of LGBTIQ+ communities around the world. That wherever we go in the world, there is a chosen family waiting to accept us, even if our biological family doesn't. LGBTIQ+ persons rely on their chosen family, the connections they gain from other LGBTIQ+ people who know what they are experiencing because they lived through it. This kind of support also shares resources that LGBTIQ+ youths can access to affirm and support themselves on their journey. Living within a small community like Gozo can be very isolating especially if you feel different or not accepted. That is why LGBTI+ Gozo is so important-- we provide a space where  LGBTIQ+ people can gain empowerment and support for and from each other.

Does LGBTI+ Gozo currently engage with students or educational institutions, and how could organisations like MCAST better support or collaborate with you?

LGBTI+ Gozo offers trainings and educational awareness for young people in school settings and teachers, to create a space for discussions, capacity building, and wider acceptance for all people. We are ultimately a human rights organisation and the things we discuss in our trainings are universal issues like self-acceptance, empathy, diversity, inclusion and more. We don't set out to change anyone's opinion or challenge traditions; instead, our goal is to listen and build respect and compassion within our communities. We have given trainings with MCAST students and teachers in the past and would be greatly interested in making this an ongoing connection between our entities. We are happy to support LGBTIQ+ students through free counselling and be a resource for teachers who have questions about how to support their LGBTIQ+ students. MCAST's support in spreading the word about our events and services would also be of great support to increase our outreach for those who need our help the most. 

What kind of services, events, or safe spaces does your organisation provide, and how can people get involved or benefit from them?

LGBTI+ Gozo offers bi-monthly social events, ranging from a book club to movie nights, social meet-ups, walks, beach days, artistic events and more. We operate from our office the Qawsalla Hub in Victoria, where we welcome drop ins and house an LGBTIQ+ library. We publish LGBTIQ+ research on our website and have a registry of Queer Friendly Professionals including notaries, lawyers, psychologists and more who offer a non-discriminatory service. We offer free counselling to members and their families and create educational awareness campaigns to strengthen community inclusion, equality, and diversity. Anyone 18 and older can join our community; we welcome all people regardless of their sexual orientation and gender. The only prerequisite is respect. Persons under 18 can also attend our events and access our services with written consent from guardians. Membership to  LGBTI+ Gozo is free and members are able to access all of our services free of charge. We welcome volunteers, who can enjoy: free LGBTI+ Gozo merchandise and products, the opportunity to attend sponsored international trips, the chance to create activities they want to see in their communities, build their networks to businesses and entities in Malta and Gozo, and learn how to operate an NGO. It also doesn't hurt to add volunteering to your CV and receive a great recommendation! Anyone can get involved by reaching out to us at lgbtigozo@gmail.com. 

What message would you like to share with young people who may be struggling with their identity or feel unsupported?

That it does get better. That a family of compassionate, caring individuals who know exactly what you are going through are here to help you and walk by you on your journey. That you deserve to be here, to be celebrated, seen, safe, and happy. That what you are feeling is normal, and you don't have to go through it alone. That who you are makes this world a better place, which shows us how important and beautiful diversity is to our society. That you will look back at this time and realise your strength. That LGBTI+ Gozo is here for you and we can't wait to meet you.  

Looking ahead, what are your hopes for the future of LGBTQ+ rights and inclusion in Malta and Gozo?

We hope that one day, 'coming out' will be a thing of the past. To normalise these discussions and these realities and build a more inclusive, safe, and accepting Gozo. Malta celebrates amazing rights for LGBTIQ+ persons; however, rights given can be easily taken away as we are seeing around the world. So it is vital for us to continue our advocacy and build on these laws to integrate them into the social soil of Gozo so all people regardless of their background or who they are are accepted, celebrated, and equal. We also hope to be more intersectional in our work. LGBTIQ+ rights are human rights and human rights must consider ability, race, religion, background, health status, and so much more. We hope to show our community that what we truly fight for is not solely LGBTIQ+ equality and to end LGBTIQ+ stigma, but for all people to enjoy equal protection and access. We hope as well to continue to grow our community and welcome new members and volunteers to our organisation, to keep LGBTI+ Gozo a thriving service that gives back to Gozitan society.