An End to Conversion Therapy in Canada?

 Are you following the activities of the Canadian House of Commons and Senate with any enthusiasm these days? I didn't think so. We have all been so focussed on the pandemic and unnatural natural disasters for so long that they could be holding raves (the dance kind) in parliament for all we know and care.

The reality is that there have been some important motions and bills floating through both houses which should matter to us as Canadians and Christians. There has been further legislation regarding Medical Assistance in Dying, or MAID. More recently parliament ratified Bill C-6 which essentially makes so-called "conversion therapy." the pseudo-scientific attempt to change a person's sexual orientation to heterosexual. This therapy has been demonstrated to be ineffective, not to mention immoral. According to the CBC:

 Bill C-6 is an amendment to the Criminal Code that proposes five criminal offences:

• Forcing a minor to undergo conversion therapy
• Forcing a person to undergo conversion therapy against their will.
• Profiting off of providing conversion therapy.
• Advertising conversion therapy.
• Removing a child from Canada to undergo conversion therapy abroad 

Senator Marc Gold has proposed that that chamber reconvene virtually to do its work in examining the bill by the end of this month. 

It's important to realize that while Bill C-6 was passed easily. nearly half of Conservative Members of Parliament voted against it. To be fair, a handful voted no because they felt it wasn't specific enough and needed greater clarity. Others and perhaps the majority rejected it on personal grounds or because of their small-c conservative constituencies. 

Conversion therapy can be traumatic and deepen the stigma felt by some 2SLGTBQ+ persons (I can barely keep up anymore.). Too often it has been communities of faith, particularly some Christian groups, which have employed what is really a shame-based form of brainwashing of the vulnerable. 

You may recall a blog in which I reflected on the dramatic film, based on a true story of  an attempt to convert a young man, aptly called Boy Erased. There is a new documentary film to be released on Netflix in the near future called Pray Away which looks at the enduring harm from the "pray the gay away" movement and conversion therapy.

Can we muster enough summertime interest to pray for the senators who will be addressing this bill? I hope so.