Below is a letter of concern about conversion therapy.
25th June, 2021
PFLAG at the time offered individual support when necessary and bi monthly group meetings, plus written resources to families to hasten their understanding. Additionally, we provide community education in a variety of ways and advocate for the rights of our LGBTQIA+ loved ones both State and Federally.
As a leader of PFLAG+ in this country for the last twenty-two years, I am appalled that conversion practices have gained momentum again to supposedly “cure” sexual and gender diversity under the guise of religious freedom. Conversion practices have only come to the forefront of religious rights since the marriage equality debate, which was considered a huge loss for many religious groups and now the proposed legislation regarding people’s right to religious freedom.
Sexuality and Gender Diversity are not a Choice:
Sexual and gender diversity are like eye colour, we cannot choose or change either, they are a given when we are born. Forbes magazine, reported on August 30, 2019 that a study done by Andrea Ganna from the Molecular Biology Laboratory in Finland, showed research done reinforces the understanding that same-sex sexual behaviour is simply “a natural part of our diversity as a species” The study involved taking DNA from 470,000 people. Being homosexual or transgender is now considered a natural human variant.
(CPT) is part of Religious Freedom:
If Conversion Practice Therapy is considered justified for reasons of religious freedom, what will be next? This practice is not a freedom it’s a form of control over the victim. This therapy has been around for nearly 100 years in all forms of cruel methods. The whole experience can be emotionally traumatic and should be seen as a form of abuse against individuals, who just don’t fit particular criteria or expectations of some Christians or Christian groups. The American Psychiatric Association, removed homosexuality from its list of mental illnesses in 1973 and World Health Organisation removed it in 1990.
Emotional abuse and/or physical abuse when used in other circumstances can lead to criminal charges being laid. However, parents, even if their intentions are good, through (CPT) will unwittingly be compounding a negative emotional impact and trauma on their child. Plus, practitioners will have the freedom to create additional trauma and exacerbate mental health concerns on individuals free of responsibility of their actions. Meanwhile, the rights of the victim to have the right to say “NO” to this abuse are rarely taken into consideration when it comes to Conversion Practice.
Queensland Legislation:
In Queensland, our legislation is almost useless. Only professionals are banned from applying this therapy. However, those in informal settings are permitted to practice this therapy freely. But once again, what about the rights of the victims when they say “NO”?
What is good about this Practice?
Nothing good comes from Conversion Practice Therapy. First, it is nonsensical for people to assume the banning of this outdated and unnecessary abuse on LGBTQIA+ is an attack on their religious freedoms. Australians have religious freedom but that doesn’t mean we should be condoning such treatment of people in the name of God
Second, sexual and gender diversity is not a choice. And, furthermore, it is no longer classified as a mental illness, a deviance or a disorder that needs to be cured. Homosexuality and transgender identity are considered a natural sexual orientation. Sexuality and gender diversity are like eye colour they are both a given when we are born. However, conversion practice is a choice which definitely does more harm than good.
It should be noted that many Christians and Christian groups are very much opposed to CPT and welcome LGBTQIA+ people into their congregations without judgement.
Unfortunately, substance abuse, homelessness and mental health issues increase along with the rate of suicide, because of the negative repercussions CPT produces, for example:
- many feel they haven’t tried hard enough and have let themselves and/or loved ones down
- others feel they are just failures and doomed to what they are told is a sinful existence
- others are just broken by the whole experience and feel they have no worthwhile future
- while others feel they are more sinful than before, because the CPT failed and now they have not only let themselves down, but let their God down as well.
Nobody wins:
Conversion practices should be completely banned and criminalised, including their promotion. I know of a young girl in Brisbane who was sent to a professional for this treatment. During the session, she became so distraught the professional stopped, but it was too late for the child. She became traumatised, and her suicidal ideation increased. She has tried running away from home several times and has now turned inward.
If adults choose to accept Conversion Practice Therapy and it fails, they feel they have also failed and become more depressed. When young people are given the same treatment and it fails, they know at minimum they have failed their parents’ hopes and expectations and again the young person, who didn’t choose to be LGBTQIA+, feels more of a failure, which again increases mental health issues and the risk of suicide.
I know of pastors and ministers who have personally tried the treatment and not surprisingly, it has failed. One was a Brethren Pastor who then became a Mormon Pastor. He then went to America to try to heal himself and of course failed. Not surprisingly he is no longer a Pastor of any church and is ostracised from his family.
People who claim to be practitioners regardless of profession or faith should be considered charlatans like the snake oil sellers in days of old, because it’s deceptive marketing and really is just a scam, giving people false hope. Now people can be jailed for scamming and so should people who promote this practice.
One day, a person of religion explained to me how he believed studies on the issue of Conversion Practice Therapy done by Universities were skewed towards LGBTQIA+ people and of course any research done by an LGBTQIA+ organisation was just not credible.
So, with a little research I found several credible professional bodies that I believe are not run by Universities, LGBTQIA+ organisations, Christians or Christian groups but are still not supportive of Conversion Practice Therapy (CPT)
In America:
- Academy of Child Adolescent
- Academy of Paediatrics of
- College of Physicians
- Counseling in Association
- Association of Marriage and Family Therapy
- Medical Association
- College of Physicians
- Psychiatric Association
- Psychoanalytic Association
- Psychological Association
- School Counsellors Association
- School Health Association
- National Association of Social Workers
- Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) Regional office of World Health Organisation
- Just the Facts Coalition
- World Psychiatric Association
In Australia:
- Psychotherapy and Counseling Federation of Australia
- Association of Social Workers
- Australian Medical Association
- Royal College Australian College of Physicians
- Australian Psychiatric Association
In the UK
- Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy
- Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies
- Psychological Society
- College of Sexual and Relationship Therapists
- National counseling society
- Royal College of General Practitioners
- The Scottish Government
- UK Council of Psychotherapy
In conclusion, this practice is just abuse, whether it is physical or emotional. Severe sentences should apply to anyone who promotes this practice or engages someone to apply this practice on an individual. People who make the decision about whether this practice should be legal, must always keep in mind how many deaths occur and how many lives have been emotionally shattered by conversion practices.
Be assured suicide and mental health issues for those who experience this treatment will be emotionally shattered and suicide will be the silent killer that no one speaks about, especially the families and practitioners.
