What’s the story with the Conversion Practices Bill?

The Bill would create new criminal offences around providing conversion therapy and engaging in coercive conversion behaviour where there is an intention to change or suppress someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity and where harm is caused.

The Bill will be back in the Assembly in the weeks ahead for second reading and we will be responding. We have concerns that this Bill could criminalise ordinary aspects of Christian life: 
 

• Praying with someone who has requested prayer because they’re wrestling with their sexuality and faith. 
• Providing pastoral care.
• When a loving parent feels the need to care for their child who wants to adopt a trans identity, by cautioning or challenging them.
• When a pastor preaches and encourages his congregation to live in obedience to orthodox Christian teachings on sexuality and identity.
  
  And it’s not just Christians who are concerned about this Bill. People of different faiths and none, who refuse to believe that a man becomes a woman just because he says so, and want to help persuade others of this fact, are at risk of criminalisation.
  
  This is a sensitive area where some Christians have caused real hurt. Where that has happened, we must acknowledge it, learn from it and protect people from abuse. But the answer is not to create laws which conflate offering genuine support and telling the truth — with coercion and conversion practices.
  
  We can protect people and oppose coercion without criminalising some everyday conversations and aspects of prayer, preaching, pastoral care and parenting. And we can disagree deeply while still treating one another with dignity.