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Conversion therapy (Ireland)

Publication

  • August 2023

The Government intends to ban ‘conversion therapy’. A new law covering both sexual orientation and gender identity is being drafted, overseen by Equalities Minister Roderic O’Gorman TD.

But such a law could restrict the ordinary work of churches – prayer, pastoral care and preaching. It could also criminalise Christian parents seeking to bring up their children in the faith. In fact, any Christian activity which upholds the Bible’s teaching on sexual ethics could be at risk.

A similar law in Victoria, Australia, has made “not affirming someone’s gender identity” illegal. It even criminalises parents who refuse to allow their child to take experimental puberty blockers.

‘Conversion therapy’ is a deliberately broad term chosen by LGBT activists. There may be quack therapists and others who exploit people and use abusive practices. But verbal and physical abuse are already against the law, so this is not the activists’ true motivation.

They want a criminal law reaching into churches and families which they can use to force people to endorse LGBT ideology.

References

References

  1. 1 ‘Conversion therapy practices to carry criminal offence under proposed new ban’, The Journal, 20 June 2023, see https://www.thejournal.ie/conversion-therapy-ban-ireland-6098279-Jun2023/ as at 25 July 2023
  2. 2 ‘Have you experienced a change or suppression practice?’, Victoria Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, see https://www.humanrights.vic.gov.au/change-or-suppression-practices/have-you-experienced-a-change-or-suppression-practice/ as at 25 July 2023
  3. 3 Prohibition of Conversion Therapies Bill 2018, 25 April 2018, Clause 1
  4. 4 Seanad Éireann, Official Report, 2 May 2018, page 718
  5. 5 NXF Pride Leaders Series – Minister Roderic O’Gorman’, Gay Community News, 19 June 2023. see https://gcn.ie/gcntv/nxf-pride-leaders-series-minister-roderic-ogorman as at 25 July 2023
  6. 6 ‘Conversion therapy practices to carry criminal offence under proposed new ban’, The Journal, 20 June 2023, see https://www.thejournal.ie/conversion-therapy-ban-ireland-6098279-Jun2023/ as at 25 July 2023
  7. 7 Keogh B, Carr C, Doyle L et al, ‘An Exploration of Conversion Therapy Practices in Ireland’, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, 2023, pages 13, 36 and 50
  8. 8 Ibid, page 3
  9. 9 Ibid, page 5 and 71
  10. 10 Ibid, page 36
  11. 11 Irish Daily Mail Online, 1 May 2021, see https://www.pressreader.com/ireland/irish-daily-mail/20210501/282076279728524 as at 25 July 2023
  12. 12 ‘Saving Psychotherapy from Conversion Therapy Bans’, Genspect, 28 February 2023, see https://genspect.org/saving-psychotherapy-from-conversion-therapy-bans/ as at 25 July 2023
  13. 13 Human Rights Implications of Proposals to Ban ‘Conversion Therapy’ - Advice, Jason Coppel KC, April 2021 (available at https://christian.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Christian%20Institute%20Conversion%20Therapy%20Advice%20-%20updated.pdf as at 6 July 2023)
  14. 14 Ibid, paras 21 and 35
  15. 15 Ibid, para. 43
  16. 16 Stonewall Scotland, LGBT sector submission to call for views on conversion therapy petition, August 2021, see https://www.stonewallscotland.org.uk/sites/default/files/lgbt_sector_submission_to_call_for_views_on_conversion_therapy_petition.pdf as at 22 December 2022; Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee (Scotland), Official Report, 2 November 2021, col. 24; Alicia Kearns MP speaking on BBC Radio 4, Faith, Lies and Conversion Therapy, 9 March 2021, see https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000sz1y as at 27 July 2023
  17. 17 Change or Suppression (Conversion) Practices Prohibition Act 2021, Section 5 (Victoria)
  18. 18 Change or Suppression (Conversion) Practices Prohibition Act 2021, Part 2 (Victoria); Maximum Penalties, Sentencing Advisory Council, see https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/about-sentencing/maximum-penalties as at 22 December 2022
  19. 19 Victoria’s Conversion Practices Act is a genuine assault on religious freedom’, Murray Campbell blog, 30 September 2021, see https://murraycampbell.net/2021/09/30/victorias-conversion-practices-act-is-a-genuine-assault-on-religious-freedom/ as at 22 December 2022
  20. 20 ‘Have you experienced a change or suppression practice?’, Victoria Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, see https://www.humanrights.vic.gov.au/change-or-suppression-practices/have-you-experienced-a-change-or-suppression-practice/ as at 22 December 2022
  21. 21 Daily Mail Australia online, 14 August 2022, see https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11101415/Parents-counsellors-face-prosecution-gender-transition-children-suppression-law.html as at 23 December 2022
  22. 22 ‘Conversion therapy to be illegal in Canada in 30 days’, CTV News, 8 December 2021, see https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/conversion-therapy-to-be-illegal-in-canada-in-30-days-1.5699251 as at 22 December 2022
  23. 23 Bill C-4, 8 December 2021 (Canada)
  24. 24 ‘Canada bans “sincere expressions of religious beliefs”’, Let Us Pray, 10 December 2021, see https://letuspray.uk/latest/canada-bans-sincere-expressions-of-religious-beliefs as at 23 December 2022

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