Stormont exposes flaws of ‘hazardous’ conversion therapy Bill

MLAs have warned that a new ‘conversion therapy’ law would endanger parents and the ordinary work of churches.

In the first debate on Eóin Tennyson’s ‘Conversion Practices (Criminalisation) Bill’, the Northern Ireland Assembly heard how the proposals fail to define the key concept of ‘gender identity’ or provide exemptions for everyday conversations. A vote is expected following further debate on Tuesday.

Under the Alliance MLA’s Bill, parents and church leaders could face up to two years in prison if they are deemed to be intending “to change or suppress sexual orientation or gender identity”. This could include not affirming a child’s claim to have a ‘gender identity’ different from their actual sex.

‘Dangerous’

During the debate, DUP MLA Diane Dodds raised “particular” concern about the Bill’s impact on churches, where “belief is not just about a nice feeling inside, it’s actually directive and urges us to live in a particular way”.

Deborah Erskine, MLA for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, noted that parents would fall foul of the Bill because there is no exemption for simply “talking with your child”.

And Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows said that due to the Bill’s “many flaws” a “parent would effectively need a KC at the kitchen table before having conversations with their child”.

“This Bill makes good parenting hazardous. It makes freedom of expression dangerous, and I’d actually urge everybody to vote against it at this stage.”

‘No safeguards’

James Kennedy, Northern Ireland Policy Officer at The Christian Institute, stated: “Many people are rightly appalled at the idea of abuse taking place today in Northern Ireland. But our existing law offers strong safeguards against coercion in the home and verbal or physical abuse anywhere else too.

“This Bill is different, though. It is ill-conceived and poorly drafted, covering vague notions of ‘suppression’ and ‘gender identity’ without any definition whatsoever. It has no safeguards for private family life, and directly targets even those who only act out of loving care.

“A vote in favour effectively sends the PSNI into your family home. A simple discussion over the family dinner table risks turning into a police interview under caution.”

Legal opinion

In a recent legal opinion for The Christian Institute, which was quoted in the debate, top human rights lawyer Aidan O’Neill KC noted that Tennyson’s Bill would allow an individual to define their gender identity as whatever they ‘consider it to be, since the Bill does not define the concept’.

He described the proposals as “jellyfish legislation”, with “impossible to grasp” concepts, “wholly undefined” limits, and a “sting in the tail” of up to two years in prison and steep fines for those who transgress.