Hi Supporters,

The Queensland government looks to be enacting legislation aimed at stopping 'health service providers' from providing therapy that 'attempts to change or suppress a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity' (see attached article). 'Health service providers' includes any individual or business that offers a service that is, or purports to be, for the purpose of maintaining, improving, restoring or managing people’s health and wellbeing.

SOGICE Survivors and Brave Network, two advocacy groups led by conversion survivor self-advocates, are extremely concerned about the ability of the Queensland Government's pending legislation to prevent the harm currently seen among recent survivors. Overwhelmingly, the bulk of harm occurs over time in informal settings (such as pastoral care in faith communities), and not in therapeutic contexts. This harm is driven by false and misleading claims made to people over a long period of time. Because of this, legislation aimed solely at health service providers using 'therapy' is not going to solve the problem.

A response to conversion practices needs to address the ideology that underpins them (false and misleading claims).

In brief, SOGICE Survivors and Brave Network have stated repeatedly that any response must:

• Engage the currently undefined title/label of 'pastoral care', particularly as this role often poorly mimics aspects of counselling and psychology
• Clearly define the types of false and misleading claims that drive demand and supply, eg. false claims about origins, causes, nature, essence, brokenness and 'solutions' regarding same-sex attraction and trans/gender diverse identity.
• Ensure consumer affairs, health complaints and health regulation bodies have the power to investigate complaints/notifications - including by third parties - about instances of conversion practices, including in informal, unpaid situations
• Recognise that survivors need significant financial support for psychological recovery, and make arrangements for that support to be delivered
• Place informed survivors at the centre of training to health professionals
• Recognise that regulated health professionals are only very rarely involved in conversion practices in 2020, and therefore must not be the sole focus of any legislation or response
• Identify some of the false and misleading claims (outlined in the SOGICE Survivor Statement) as also representing vilification of LGBTIQA+ people
• Cover adults, not just minors.
• Take active steps to prevent the broadcast and public communication of the false and misleading claims that drive conversion practices.

It is hard for me to write an update about legislation being this close to passing without just celebrating it.

On one hand, I feel I should be happy that at least something is happening, but I know that, on its own, this legislation will not stop the majority of the harm where it is occurring (in informal, religious settings). I'm hopeful that it may just be a first step for Queensland...but too often a first step becomes the only step, as we have seen with this type of legislation around the world. 

On a positive note - South Australia, Victoria and Australian Capital Territory are all looking at broader responses, which will hopefully be far more effective in protecting LGBTQ+ communities.

If you live in Queensland (or anywhere, actually!) and want to help, please share this statement from survivor groups and direct people to the SOGICE Survivor website where they can add their names to the ever-growing list of people that are calling for survivor recommendations to be enacted.

Chris Csabs