Article by Michael Gorman, CBC News:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/conversion-therapy-ban-lgbtq-rights-legislation-1.4814679


Nova Scotia (Eastern Canada) is banning conversion therapy ("treatment" designed to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity). It includes counselling, behaviour modification and medication.

Other provinces in Canada (Manitoba and Ontario) have bans against it. Vancouver, B.C. has banned conversion therapy businesses.


From the article:

“Conversion therapy gained particular attention in Nova Scotia this summer when members of an anti-gay religious group in the U.S., who advocate for conversion therapy, were going to speak at a bible camp in Pugwash.

“Ultimately, those speakers did not come to Nova Scotia amidst public criticism.

“Gerard Veldhoven, a longtime gay-rights activist from New Glasgow … said while there's been social progress through the years, it's not come easily or quickly. Veldhoven said he wasn't surprised when he heard about the plans for the summer camp in Pugwash, although it was still shocking. It's proof legislation is necessary, he said.

"Our young people, especially, are very vulnerable — young gay people. They will develop mental anguish and some even contemplate suicide and, indeed, will commit suicide in the end.

“Veldhoven said as more progress is achieved, it remains important for young people to stand up and fight for their rights and "live their lives as they're meant to be lived”.

"I think that that leads to happiness."

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Living our lives as they’re meant to be lived. Good words. Great goal. Too bad so many try to prevent others from doing just that. Many religious leaders focus on what you’re not allowed to do or be. People end up feeling bad about themselves. Countless LGBTQ folks experience this in the extreme in their families, religions, workplaces and communities. It’s so too bad, especially when it leads to the drastic outcomes mentioned in the above article (eg: suicide). It’s exceptionally harmful to be rejected as a person because you don’t measure up to someone else’s ideals or expectations.

Here’s hoping that changes come and more quickly, in even more places. It seems remarkable in the 21st century in a country like Canada (democratic, diverse, relatively progressive) that each local government has to enact laws separately to guard against so-called treatment that is obviously wrong-headed as well as scientifically proven to be erroneous, and also deeply harmful. Why isn’t it already covered by comprehensive federal law extending throughout the entire country? And why is it 2018 already and still such a sketchy record of LGBTQ-friendly laws? Slow as the proverbial molasses (or maple syrup if you're in Canada).



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/07/2018 09:35PM by Nightingale.

Yay for Nova Scotia!

And "Yay!" too, for all the other Canadian jurisdictions who have banned conversion therapy!

This is a really good thing for us in South Canada to know. ;)

South Canada. Hahahahaha