Western Australia’s peak body for LGBTQIA+ communities, Rainbow Futures WA, has released a statement on reports that a local hospital was allegedly undertaking historical conversion practices.
A new report released today in the Medical Journal of Australia questions the findings of a 1987 report, suggesting the practice used by WA researchers was a form of conversion therapy. Transgender woman Jayne McFadyen has come forward after realising she was likely one of the subjects of the study.
The paper was titled Gender-disordered children: does inpatient treatment help? and was written by Robert Kosky, who was the director of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Services in WA.
As the Cook Government considers community consultation on banning conversion practices in WA, Rainbow Futures WA CEO Dr Misty Farquhar says “legislation cannot come soon enough.”
“Whilst today’s news references a historic case, we know that these practices are still happening today,” Farquhar said.
In 2022, the WA Government announced an investigation into The Esther Foundation, following accusations of LGBTQ+ conversion practices among an array of alleged abuses.
“The research from Stubbs Terrace continues to be used to promote the idea that gender diverse children’s thoughts, feelings and behaviour can be suppressed, changed or corrected so that they become cisgender adults,” Farquhar continued.
“Jayne’s experience demonstrates that not only is this premise dangerously untrue, it carries long-term harm for those subject to these practices. The government must urgently introduce legislation to protect LGBTQA+ people from these abhorrent practices.”
Father Chris Bedding, spokesperson for Ending Conversion Practices WA says LGBTIQA+ change and suppression practices (AKA conversion practices) need to be made unlawful “in every context.”
“Whether in a medical, educational or religious setting, the harm is the same,” Fr Bedding said.
“We call on the state government to implement the strongest possible protections for the WA community.”
The Mark McGowan Labor Government committed to ending conversion practices back in 2022, in light of the investigation into Esther House and a report from the Education and Health Standing Committee.
Rainbow Futures WA has established a Working Group on LGBTQA+ Conversion Practices, in partnership with Ending Conversion Practices WA.
The advocacy organisations says they are “working hard to advocate for a strong bill to be introduced in the WA Parliament and for appropriate community supports to be put in place.”
Rainbow Futures WA and Ending Conversion Practices WA are calling for legislation without exemptions or loopholes for medical professionals, empowers accessible reporting of conversion practices and protections from further harm through education and prevention.
Tonight the story will be explored on 7:30 on the ABC.
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