LGBTIQ advocacy group just.equal has welcomed Canada’s move toward criminalising LGBTIQ conversion practices.

Earlier in March, a Bill was introduced in Canada’s Parliament that would effectively ban practices designed to change or suppress a person’s sexuality or gender across the country.

The amendments, introduced by Canada’s Attorney General David Lametti and Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and Youth Bardish Chagger, would expand on province-based bans to criminalise ‘conversion therapy’, prohibiting minors from being exposed to the practice, and banning advertising of and profit from ‘conversion therapy’.

“We welcome Canada’s move to criminalise conversion practices and hope it encourages Australian legislators to do the same,” just.equal spokesperson Brian Greig said.

“Conversion practices are so cruel and destructive that a simple ban is inadequate and a criminal penalty must apply.”

“We hope the ideology behind conversion practices – that LGBTIQ people are broken and need to be fixed – will also be dealt with in the Canadian proposal.”

The Canadian proposal will criminalise encouragement to undertake conversion practices, as well as any promotion of such practices, with an exemption for personal views expressed in private.

If passed, Canada will join Malta, Ecuador, Brazil and Taiwan in enforcing nation-wide bans on ‘conversion therapy’ practices. A similar Bill is also currently being considered in Germany.

Here in Australia, Victoria and the ACT have made moves towards state/territory based bans, while New South Wales and Western Australia have begun considering how to address the issue.

OIP Staff