Exclusive: Ulster Unionists to oppose Alliance 'conversion therapy' law over gender identity proposals
The Ulster Unionist Party will vote against proposed legislation on banning so-called conversion therapy this week – warning that it requires a complete rewrite due to its “potentially damaging” consequences.
The controversial legislation from Alliance MLA Eoin Tennyson is set to be debated in the Assembly on Tuesday – and seeks to ban activities “intended to suppress or change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity”.
It is likely to be backed by Sinn Fein and the SDLP, with the DUP and TUV already opposed. The UUP, which has in recent years supported a ban – says this legislation goes too far.
A spokesperson told the News Letter that the party “remains firmly opposed to harmful and coercive conversion practices” – but supporting that objective “does not oblige us to support legislation that is excessively broad, legally uncertain and potentially damaging”.
While often referred to as a ban on ‘gay conversion therapy’ – the law would introduce the concept of “gender identity” into law here for the first time. The bill’s architect Eoin Tennyson says that is defined by the person’s “sense of belonging to a particular gender”.
The UUP says the inclusion of gender identity is a major expansion into a complex and sensitive area.
“At a time when young people face confusing and conflicting messages online, parents must remain free to guide their children, ask questions, set boundaries and help them explore difficult issues. Responsible parenting must not be criminalised or chilled by the fear that an honest family conversation could later be treated as an attempt to suppress an identity.
“The Bill raises equally serious questions about counselling, therapy, pastoral care, prayer and ordinary church life. Ministers, counsellors and others must be able to listen, advise and pray with people without fear of criminal investigation simply because the guidance offered does not affirm one particular course of action.
“These are not theoretical concerns. They have been raised by legal, professional and faith-based stakeholders.
“This Bill creates new criminal offences carrying the possibility of imprisonment. Where criminal law reaches into family relationships, therapy, faith and identity, the requirements for clarity, necessity and legal certainty must be exceptionally high.
“This Bill falls well short. With little time left in this mandate, it would not be responsible to consume substantial Committee time on legislation that, in truth, requires a complete rewrite.
“Existing criminal law should be used robustly wherever abuse, violence, threats or coercive control occur. The sensible approach is to establish what practices are actually taking place in Northern Ireland, identify any genuine gaps in existing law, and then develop clear, proportionate and tightly defined measures.
“That evidence led approach would protect people from real harm while safeguarding ordinary parenting, legitimate therapeutic support, pastoral care, religious freedom and private family life.
“This broad brush Bill does not achieve that balance. For those reasons, the Ulster Unionist Party will oppose it.”
The bill would create three new criminal offences of providing conversion therapy; engaging in coercive conversion behaviour and removing a person from NI for the purposes of conversion practices.