New Zealand has banned conversion therapy, with the parliament near-unanimously passing legislation on the matter.
The legislation bans practices intended to forcibly change sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. The bill passed with 112 votes in favour, to eight votes opposed, and fulfils an election promise made by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
Ardern posted an image to Instagram that said: “Conversion practices have no place in Aotearoa”, and added the caption:
“To anyone who has experienced conversion practices in New Zealand, please know that you are not broken. You do not need to be ‘fixed’. And we will keep doing all we can to make sure you are valued and loved for who you are. And to every member of parliament who helped end conversion practice tonight – thank you.”
Under the new laws, it will be an offence to perform conversion practices on a child or anyone aged under 18, or on someone with impaired decision-making capacity. It will also be an offence to perform conversion practices on anyone where the practices have cause serious harm.
When New Zealand Justice Minister Kris Faafoi introduced the legislation to parliament last year, he said: “Those who have experienced conversion practices talk about ongoing mental health distress, depression, shame and stigma, and even suicidal thoughts.”
“Conversion practices have no place in modern New Zealand. They are based on the false belief that any person’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression is broken and in need of fixing.”
Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson shared his own coming out experience with parliament, and acknowledged that for some, the legislation didn’t go far enough, but said on the most part it “got the balance right”.
Laws banning conversion therapy practices are slowly gaining traction in different countries, with Canada’s parliament last year voting to ban it.
LGBTIQ+ Australians seeking support with mental health can contact QLife on 1800 184 527 or visit qlife.org.au.