Law to Ban Conversion Therapy
Ban on Conversion Therapy
This proposed law makes it illegal to do conversion therapy in Canada. Conversion therapy is any practice, treatment, or service designed to change someone's sexual orientation to heterosexual, change a person's gender identity to cisgender, or change a person's gender expression so that it conforms to the sex assigned to the person at birth. It also includes practices that repress or reduce non-heterosexual attraction or sexual behavior, repress a person’s non-cisgender gender identity, or repress or reduce a person’s gender expression that does not conform to the sex assigned to the person at birth. This law affects anyone who provides conversion therapy, promotes or advertises it, or benefits financially from it. It is now a crime to cause someone to undergo conversion therapy, promote or advertise it, or receive money or other benefits from it. People who break this law could face jail time. The law also allows courts to seize and delete advertisements for conversion therapy, including online ads. This law matters because it protects LGBTQ+ people from harmful and ineffective practices. Conversion therapy has been shown to cause significant harm. This law sends a message that these practices are not acceptable in Canada. It aims to create a safer and more inclusive society for everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Where this proposed law falls on the policy spectrums that Canadians care about
This bill directly addresses identity and human rights by prohibiting practices aimed at changing someone's sexual orientation or gender identity, aligning strongly with proactive equity and inclusion measures.
By criminalizing conversion therapy, the bill aims to protect vulnerable individuals and promote public safety, reflecting a move towards addressing harm through legal means.
This proposed law makes it illegal to provide, promote, or profit from conversion therapy, which is a big step forward. However, it relies on a specific definition of 'conversion therapy' that might not cover all harmful practices, and enforcement will depend on how strictly these definitions are interpreted.
Things to Watch For
- The definition of conversion therapy may not cover all harmful practices.
- Enforcement will depend on how strictly the definitions are interpreted by courts.
- It is not clear how the law will address conversion therapy practices that are disguised as something else.
- The law does not explicitly address the role of parents or guardians in seeking conversion therapy for their children.
- There may be challenges in proving that someone knowingly provided or benefited from conversion therapy.
- The law does not provide specific support for survivors of conversion therapy.
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