Conversion Therapy

Over 370 religious leaders from around the world are calling for an end to the criminalisation of LGBT+ people and a ban on gay conversion therapy, the pseudoscientific practise of trying to change an individual's sexual orientation. The leaders stated that "certain religious teachings have often, throughout the ages, caused and continue to cause deep pain and offence" to LGBTQ+ people and further have "created, and continue to create, oppressive systems that fuel intolerance, perpetuate injustice and result in violence."

Among those who signed are eight archbishops, including South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu; over 60 rabbis, including former Chief Rabbi of Ireland David Rosen; the Catholic former president of Ireland Mary McAleese and various senior Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists and Hindus.

Trudeau’s Liberal Party has reintroduced a bill that would ban "gay conversion therapy", a pseudoscientific practise of trying to alter someone's sexual orientation or gender identity, on Thursday.

The legislation was previously introduced back in March before parliament had to close due to Covid-19.

"Conversion therapy is harmful, degrading, and has no place in Canada … I hope that all parties will do the right thing by supporting this bill," so PM Justin Trudeau on Thursday.

State politicians in Queensland, Australia have voted to criminalize gay conversion therapy. People that attempt "to change or suppress a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity" can under the new legislation face up to 18 months in prison.

Queensland's health minister has stated that "Being LGBTIQ is not an affliction or disease that requires medical treatment".

The openly gay Indian prince Manvendra Singh Gohil has stated that "I was myself a victim of conversion therapy" after he outed himself to his parents. According to him, religious leaders were involved in his parents' attempt to convert his sexuality and they as well well talked to doctors for possible operations.

He is now calling for a ban on the conversion therapy and stated that "Lesbians are treated so badly, I’ve known cases where the family member with rape the child to prove she can have sex with a man" in a call for more acceptance of the LGBTQI+ community.

In a vote where the opposition parties were joined by two parties from the governing coalition, the members of the Israeli parliament has passed a bill in the first of three readings that bans the practice of conversion therapy for homosexual people.

The alternate prime minister of Israel Benny Gantz has stated that "Conversion therapy was born in sin and its place is outside of the law and the public norm".

The regional congress of Mexi City has approved a law that outlaws and criminalizes gay conversion therapy. This includes all methods that have been used in the past to try changing the sexual orientation of a person such as electroshock therapy, psychological counseling and religious instructions.

People that still offer the practice will face up to five years in prison and even longer sentences if the practices is used on minors.

The practice that is used with the intention to change the sexual orientation or gender identity of a person has been subject to a report released by the United Nations. Currently the "conversion therapy" is only banned in five countries around the world with minors often being subjected to the practice, according to the report. The American Medical Association said in a statement that the practice has "no foundation as scientifically valid medical care" and the U.N. says that it "may amount to torture" in their report.

The newly passed law bans the practice of conversion therapy to change or suppress the sexual orientation of minors in Germany. While the practice stays legal for adults, children that are forced into it by their parents and legal guardians can be punished and people practicing the interventions can be fined for up to 30,000€ and face up to a year of prison time. According to experts, the treatment has no scientific basis and research suggests that it can increase the risk of suicide and lead to depression.