Gay conversion therapy row erupts as DUP MLA refers to Sinn Fein MLA tweet concerning ‘fallen volunteers’ of IRA

DUP MLA, Jonathan Buckley, clashed with Sinn Fein MLA, Órlaithí Flynn during a tabling of a motion condemning gay conversion therapy by the Stormont health committee on Thursday morning.
Sinn Fein MLA, Órlaithí Flynn and DUP MLA, Jonathan Buckley.Sinn Fein MLA, Órlaithí Flynn and DUP MLA, Jonathan Buckley.
Sinn Fein MLA, Órlaithí Flynn and DUP MLA, Jonathan Buckley.

The health committee discussed the matter at a meeting last week but agreed to defer the tabling of the motion to allow members the time to read up on the practice of gay conversion therapy.

The motion was tabled by Sinn Fein MLA, Órlaithí Flynn, after former Northern Ireland Executive minister and former DUP MLA, Nelson McCausland, tweeted what he described as “the fascinating story of Becket Cook”.

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Mr McCausland introduced the interview stating: “A powerful testimony of a life changed by God and some important insights into the whole ‘gay movement’ from someone who has been there.”

The word ‘conversion’ is mentioned in the article four times, one of which includes the following line: “I recently met up with Cook at Intelligentsia—the place where his encounter with coffee-drinking, Bible-studying Christians set his conversion in motion.”

Mr. McCausland’s decision to share the article on social media was condemned by Sinn Fein, SDLP, Alliance Party, People Before Profit and gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell.

Mr McCausland also responded that Mr Cook “had not undergone any therapy” and that criticism on that basis was “based on a false premise”.

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It was on that basis that deputy Chair of the Stormont Health Committee and DUP MLA, Pam Cameron, said she could not support the motion but stressed her party’s opposition to gay conversion therapy.

Ms. Flynn argued that it was right the health committee addressed the issues as it is responsible for safeguarding the mental health of people from the Northern Ireland lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) community.

Ms. Flynn added one of the reasons why she was so passionate about the issue was because of the statistics concerning the LGBT community and how members of that community are more likely to die by suicide.

DUP MLA, Jonathan Buckley, responded by referring to a tweet published by Ms. Flynn over Christmas about “fallen volunteers” of the IRA.

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“If we want to go down the road where we want to censor individual’s tweets well, does that not stand for our own tweets, Órlaithí, when you talked about the ‘fallen volunteers of the provisional IRA’ - therefore what about the victims of terrorism and their mental health? “We cannot go down the road where we are being selective in who we choose to criticise in this committee.”

The motion put forward by Órlaithí Flynn was as follows: “That this health committee notes recent public support for the discredited, harmful and homophobic practice known as conversion therapy which is a severe breach of an individual’s most basic human rights, most significantly the right to be free from torture and inhumane integrating treatment.

“It further notes it was recently publicly promoted by a leading member of the Education Authority with responsibility for the education, mental health and emotional wellbeing of young people.

“This health committee condemns conversion therapy as it is a long term deeply damaging to the mental health and emotional well being of the LGBT+ community. The committee will write to the Education Committee to request that they take this issue forward with the Education Authority.”

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The motion was passed - those MLAs who voted in favour of the motion were: Colm Gildernew (Sinn Fein); Órlaithí Flynn (Sinn Fein); Carál Ní Chuilín (Sinn Fein); Gerry Carroll (People Before Profit) and Paula Bradshaw (Alliance Party)- those MLAs who voted against the motion were: Pam Cameron (DUP) and Jonathan Buckley (DUP) - Alan Chambers (UUP) was the only MLA to abstain and he too stressed his opposition to gay conversion therapy.

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