A prominent mental health expert has warned that doctors might be scared to work with gender-diverse and transgender people if a NSW ban on conversion practices is too heavy-handed.
Professor Ian Hickie, a co-director at the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre, said he supported extending a ban on conversion practices to protect trans and gender-diverse people, but warned there could be “unintended consequences”.
The Herald on Friday that the NSW government is conducting a closed consultation on banning conversion practices as the first step in developing legislation to fulfil its election promise. This is running in parallel to independent MP Alex Greenwich’s plans to introduce a private member’s bill later this month with a broad suite of reforms to protect LGBTQ people, including a ban on conversion practices.
A leaked paper reveals the government proposals would extend to practices aimed at changing or suppressing a person’s gender identity as well as sexuality, similar to Victorian legislation.
Hickie said gay conversion practices were not common in Australia, but a ban was a straightforward matter. He said gender identity was a separate concept and while he supported its inclusion in the consultation and ultimately legislation, it was more complex and care was warranted.
Source: 12ft | Doctors, LGBTQ groups, religious leaders respond to proposed LGBTQ conversion therapy ban