Comments on: Australia has the potential to lead the world in eliminating gay conversion therapy

By: Doug

Doug — Sun, 10 Feb 2019 18:36:09 +0000

It is important to recognise the connections between conversion “therapy” - can we please stop calling it that, it’s bullying, torture, and murder - pseudo-religious evangelical theology imported from the US, and religious schooling. All of them need to be tackled. And criminal sanctions, for practitioners, promoters and enablers, are a vital part of that. https://thestirrer.com.au/fight-not-flannel/

By: Robert McCormick

Robert McCormick — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 23:56:48 +0000

Once upon a time it was South Australia which was at the forefront of Social Reforms in Australia and Victoria, just behind Queensland, which was the most reactionary of all.
Today Victoria is the leader. When can we expect the other States and Territories to follow suit? When can we expect the Federal Government – no matter which Party is in power, to take action to make this Gay Conversion Therapy – originally promoted by the Baptist Church – rubbish a Criminal Offence?
When are they all going to make it possible for the victims to sue these sadists?
Just how any intelligent, decent parent can risk sending any of their children to any school run by any Religious organisation is beyond comprehension. After years of denial there is not one of them which has not been forced to admit that their archbishops, bishops, priests, nuns, brothers, monks and lay-teachers etc. have been hives for paedophiles.
The Royal Commission did not go far enough it needs to be made Permanent.
Strange isn’t it? The Pope has now admitted that paedophile behaviour is a scourge within his organisation. he has also admitted that bishops, priests – and we can Guarantee that archbishops, cardinals have all been at it to – have, despite their absurd vow of celibacy, been indulging is Sex Abuse and Slavery of nuns.
Yet he still allows fugitive priests etc. to hide in the Vatican.
Until he orders them all out and to return to the countries where they are wanted on Sex Abuse charges then we can simply write the pope off as just another religious hypocrite.

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 20:44:07 +0000

Good article, but I remain curious about what can already be done to sue practitioners of this quackery for the harm already caused. I’d have thought existing provisions around treatments which cause harm rather than deliver promised results would enable lawsuits for damages (eg counselling, as referred to in the article, costs money).

I’m encouraged by Labor’s policy too, although criminalising this practice is something which has occurred in various US states (that surprised me too given the strength of the religious right in that country) so I’m not sure about the article’s suggestion that we lead the world..

By: Charlie Schirmer

Charlie Schirmer — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 09:24:42 +0000

There needs to be a focus on religious schools role in promoting conversion therapy to young vulnerable students in their care. The push for religious exemptions oh the hiring and firing of teachers, the acceptance of Queer students is all about protecting the covert promotion of conversion therapies.