A petition supporting a ban on gay conversion therapy with over 150,000 signatures was handed to Parliament in February this year. The Conversion Practices Prohibition Legislation Bill will allow complaints for performing conversion practices on another person to be made to the Human Rights Commission under the civil law. Paul Stevens was forced into conversion therapy by the church when he was 15 after he told leaders he was gay. An organisation which provides support to the Rainbow community says conversion therapy takes many forms. Aych McArdle from Outline said the law needs to clearly explain what is considered conversion therapy and what is not.

Source: Otago Daily Times July 31, 2021 05:37 UTC