Hi Supporters!
Amnesty International Australia (AIA) and SOGICE Survivors have teamed up in a new campaign aimed at showing governments how supportive the general public is of legislation to end conversion practices.
AIA invited SOGICE Survivors to be part of their 2020 ‘Write for Rights’ campaign, which involves asking people to sign an online petition, as well as providing letter templates (in this case, written by survivors of conversion practices themselves) for supporters to send in to state governments.
The campaign also includes an unprecedented social media campaign, including fantastic ‘explainers’ that answer some common questions and give vital information about conversion practices in Australia (if you’re interested in seeing them as they roll out over the coming weeks, follow Amnesty International Australia on Instagram!)
The website reads: “We are survivors of conversion practices. LGBTQA+ Australians like us are at risk of these harmful practices, which tell them they're 'sick' and 'broken.'
The conversion practices movement makes pseudoscientific claims which tell LGBTQA+ people they can change their sexual orientation or gender identity.
“Research and the testimonies of survivors have revealed that 10% of LGBTQA+ Australians are at risk of conversion practices, and that such practices are prevelant across Australia.
“But succesive Australian state and territory governments have failed to legislate to adequately address and ban these practices.
“Together, we can pressure Australian governments to work with survivors groups, such as SOGICE Survivors and Brave Network, to draft effective legislation to combat conversion practices.
“Stand with us and with the LGBTQA+ community and call on Australian governments to protect LGBTQA+ people from conversion practices.”
The petition includes a ten point summary of the recommendations from the SOGICE Survivor Statement.
Supporters, please sign up to and share Amnesty International’s campaign everywhere you can! https://action.amnesty.org.au/act-now/w4r-australia-conversion-practices
Chris Csabs