Maltese personalities support Terry Muscat as she takes legal action against podcast ‘Bajd u Bejken’

Multiple Maltese personalities have publicly supported Terry Muscat after podcast ‘Bajd u Bejken’ showed a manipulated and offensive photo of her during their live show.

The image, which was edited to show Muscat with male genitalia, was shared during a live taping of Bajd u Bejken on 2 May. Although Muscat was not present at the show, she received the photo from audience members.

“There is a difference between a joke and a ‘joke’. To show a person, even if public, in an indecent photo to get laughs from a crowd, in my view, is not right,” Muscat wrote in a Facebook post. 

Her post drew support from various politicians, activists and social media personalities. Former Labour MEP Cyrus Engerer described the incident as “transphobic, disgusting, and unacceptable,” stressing that trans people “have the right to live with dignity, respect and safety and not be treated as a joke or attacked for their identity.”

Muscat, a well-known Maltese social media personality and transgender woman, said the image “destroyed” her and left her devastated.

She went to the Bormla police station to file a report and later went live on Facebook to speak about how the experience affected her.

She also said that Facebook would not allow her to upload the image herself due to its explicit nature.

PN MP Adrian Delia also reacted to the act, warning of the deeper harm this can cause. “To attack someone’s identity for humour is not only cruel but dangerous,” he said. “Trans people already face many challenges. The psychological damage can be huge.”

The Malta Gay Rights Movement (MGRM) also expressed solidarity with Muscat, calling for more accountability in media and for respectful representation of trans people.

Others, like activist Clayton Mercieca and influencer Abigail Vick, called for more mindful humour and respect. “Transphobia breaks down a person’s dignity,” Mercieca said. “When it’s done for profit, it’s even more disgusting.” Vick added: “There’s a fine line between making a joke and crossing into cruelty.”

Meanwhile, Muscat confirmed that she will be taking legal action against the producers of the show. In a follow-up post, she said that editing someone’s photo in such a degrading way, particularly when that person is transgender, may have breached several Maltese laws.

“These include the Media and Defamation Act (Chapter 579), which forbids damage to someone’s reputation under satire, Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protects the right to privacy and dignity, and Articles 82A and 82C of the Criminal Code (Chapter 9), which make it a crime to threaten or harm someone based on their gender identity or sexual orientation," she said.

“Satire is not an excuse for degradation,” the post read. “Freedom of expression must go hand in hand with respect for the dignity of every person. Let’s laugh with each other, not at each other.”