Petition with over 42,000 signatures calls for action on conversion therapy

Friday was Wear it Purple Day, a day to show support for LGBTIQ+ youth, and the country’s top politicians were reminded of how they can help support queer people in the future.

A list of 42,500 signatures from the End Gay Cures petition was sent to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Health Minister Greg Hunt, Nationals leader Michael McCormack, and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten.

The petition had been hosted on website Change.com. It called on the government to take action on practices which claim that a persons sexuality can be changed via counselling or other methodologies.

In recent years medical professionals have condemned the practices, and overseas some jurisdictions have brought in laws to out law the practice.

Along with petition the political leaders were given the SOCE Survivor Statement, written by survivors of Sexual Orientation Change Efforts. The statement includes recommendations to the government for curtailing the gay conversion movement.

The SOCE Survivor Statement has been endorsed by an impressive list of community leaders and organisations including Amnesty International Australia, ACON, Thorn Harbour Health, and PFLAG. The statement has additionally been sent to all Health Ministers nationwide.

The Greens and Labor have indicated that they would bring in the laws to end gay conversion therapy but the coalition have remained silent on the issue.

OIP staff. Photo by Mikail Duran on Unsplash