Media release – Equality Tasmania, 5 February 2021
ADVOCATES CALL ON TAS PREMIER TO MEET CONVERSION SURVIVORS
“If our island society to be truly inclusive and caring, it must no longer tolerate the lifelong trauma and suicide risk conversion practices cause.” – Rodney Croome
Tasmanian LGBTIQ+ equality advocates have written to the Premier, Peter Gutwein, asking him to meet survivors of conversion practices.
The invitation comes after Victoria became the third Australian state or territory after the ACT and Queensland to ban conversion practices.
Currently, the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute is conducting an inquiry into the issue with a final report expected to be with the State Government in a matter of weeks.
Equality Tasmania spokesperson, Rodney Croome, said,
“Survivor testimonies about the deep harm and trauma inflicted by conversion practices have been the key to passing legislation in other states and will be the key in Tasmania as well.”
“Our hope is that when Mr Gutwein speaks to survivors about their experiences he will see why legislative action is important and urgent.”
Mr Croome said a number of Tasmanian survivors made what he described as “harrowing” submissions to the TLRI inquiry.
“Conversion practices are being inflicted now, in Tasmania, on vulnerable LGBTIQ+ people.”
“If our island society to be truly inclusive and caring, it must no longer tolerate the lifelong trauma and suicide risk conversion practices cause.”
Mr Croome said faith communities and medical professionals have nothing to fear from a ban on conversion practices.
“Legislation against conversion practices will not stop a priest preaching about sin or a doctor counselling patients within existing professional guidelines.”
“It will stop systematic attempts, aimed at individuals, to change or suppress their sexual orientation or gender identity based on false, misleading and pseudo-scientific claims that such change is possible.”
