Thursday, August 1, 2019 ~ BC
~ West Shore Voice News
The BC government has delivered a letter to David Lametti, federal Minister of Justice, condemning conversion therapy and is calling on the Government of Canada to add the practice to the Criminal Code, it was stated in a joint news release from the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Attorney General on August 1.
“Conversion therapy is nothing more than ignorance and prejudice disguised as medical treatment,” said Spencer Chandra Herbert, MLA for Vancouver-West End, one of the letter’s signatories.
“This shameful, unethical exercise has no scientific basis whatsoever and is embedded in hateful, homophobic and transphobic ideologies,” said MLA Chandra Herbert.
Rules exist in BC that prohibit the service from being offered through the public health-care system. Regulated health professionals are also not allowed to offer it. The letter cites a Ministry of Health website to help British Columbians file a complaint with regulatory colleges.
The letter, which was also co-signed by Attorney General David Eby and Health Minister Adrian Dix, specifically urges the federal government to amend the Criminal Code of Canada to prohibit the full range of circumstances in which conversion therapy occurs.
“If you are gay, you do not need to be fixed. If you are trans, you are accepted here in BC. No matter who you are, you are beautiful, and we see you,” Chandra Herbert said. “As communities throughout British Columbia celebrate Pride, we know there’s much more work to do and we won’t stop until the job is done.”
The BC Greens feel that the letter from the BC attorney general, minister of health and MLA for Vancouver-West End shies away from tackling the full scope of the issue, it was stated in a BC Greens news release on August 1.
In May, the BC Greens, alongside stakeholders and LGBTQ2+ rights advocates, tabled legislation to amend the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Protection Act and close this loophole to ban the abusive practice of conversion therapy and protect British Columbians.
“In addition to ensuring this abuse is banned from anyone in the medical field, the BC Green bill also seeks to protect children and youth from conversion therapy practiced by other adults in positions of trust or authority,” said Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver in the news release.
“Unfortunately,” Weaver continues, “many people are exposed to this pseudo-scientific practice by non-medical professionals – faith leaders, youth organizations, and even so-called family support groups. By trying to fundamentally change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity they risk inflicting harmful, long-lasting damage that puts lives at risk.”