--- title: What’s the story with the Conversion Practices Bill? date: 2026-09-11T11:22:00+01:00 author: Lisa Curry canonical_url: "https://www.eauk.org/news-and-views/whats-the-story-with-the-conversion-practices-bill" section: Articles --- Share [ ](https://www.facebook.com/dialog/share?app_id=1769260916495219&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fwhats-the-story-with-the-conversion-practices-bill) [ ](https://x.com/intent/tweet?text=What%E2%80%99s%20the%20story%20with%20the%20Conversion%20Practices%20Bill%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fwhats-the-story-with-the-conversion-practices-bill) [ ](https://www.facebook.com/dialog/send?app_id=1769260916495219&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fwhats-the-story-with-the-conversion-practices-bill&link=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fwhats-the-story-with-the-conversion-practices-bill&display=popup) [ ](mailto:?subject=Shared%20from%20Evangelical%20Alliance&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fwhats-the-story-with-the-conversion-practices-bill) Copy link to this article Share this article What’s the story with the Conversion Practices Bill? 2 min read Contents Share [ ](https://www.facebook.com/dialog/share?app_id=1769260916495219&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fwhats-the-story-with-the-conversion-practices-bill) [ ](https://x.com/intent/tweet?text=What%E2%80%99s%20the%20story%20with%20the%20Conversion%20Practices%20Bill%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fwhats-the-story-with-the-conversion-practices-bill) [ ](mailto:?subject=Shared%20from%20Evangelical%20Alliance&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eauk.org%2Fnews-and-views%2Fwhats-the-story-with-the-conversion-practices-bill) Copy link to this article Share this article Back to top In this article #### You may have seen stories in the press about a proposed bill to criminalise conversion practices in Northern Ireland. What is all this about and how should we respond? 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. #### Find out more in our consultation response below: Download [ PDF Conversion Practices Criminalisation Bill Evangelical Alliance NI's Response 384.3 KB Download ](https://www.eauk.org/index.php?p=actions/download-tracker/download&dlt=2c0f4513a5f81fd8c0092f15cc61aa12636266643031653365313038626465616263323332386637303465363866633539656564643766363663353864313332623362333136363136326436623230645eee96210e2091f775f42070712e8facd04747b554c38f3def3b0b9c870dcee3934644adaf6e3ce37a1389814e8bf49b "Download Conversion Practices Criminalisation Bill Evangelical Alliance NI's Response") [ ![Membership](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271%27%20height%3D%271%27%20style%3D%27background%3Atransparent%27%2F%3E) ![Usha holding hands](https://eauk.org/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,quality=90,width=400,fit=cover/https://cdn.eauk.org/Usha-holding-hands.jpg) ](https://www.eauk.org/membership) [#### Membership ](https://www.eauk.org/membership) By becoming a member, you are joining the oldest and largest evangelical unity movement in the UK. Together we're making Jesus known [ Find out more ](https://www.eauk.org/membership) [](https://www.eauk.org/membership) [ ![Stay up to date](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%271%27%20height%3D%271%27%20style%3D%27background%3Atransparent%27%2F%3E) ![Julian 0 I21x Hfgw0 E unsplash 1](https://eauk.org/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto,quality=90,width=400,fit=cover/https://cdn.eauk.org/julian-0I21xHfgw0E-unsplash-1.jpg) ](https://www.eauk.org/about-us/nations/northern-ireland/stay-up-to-date) [#### Stay up to date ](https://www.eauk.org/about-us/nations/northern-ireland/stay-up-to-date) Get updates from the team [ Find out more ](https://www.eauk.org/about-us/nations/northern-ireland/stay-up-to-date) [](https://www.eauk.org/about-us/nations/northern-ireland/stay-up-to-date) --- [@EANInews](https://x.com/EANInews) ### About David Smyth ![]()David Smyth is head of the Evangelical Alliance in Northern Ireland and coordinates the Public Leader: Northern Ireland course. Before joining the Evangelical Alliance in 2011, he worked as a solicitor and now represents the organisation on a range of government, civic and charitable forums. He serves in the space where faith, law, politics and culture intersect. Outside of work, he enjoys getting out in nature or getting stuck into a DIY project. 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