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Home My WebLink About‘Critical’ legislation being drawn up to ban conversion therapy in Alberta, advocate says - Toronto Star - 09/12/2018 - Toronto Star - 09/12/20189/13/2018 'Critical' legislation being drawn up to ban conversion therapy in Alberta, advocate says I The Star 7THE STAR EDn10NTON [ personalThis copy is for your useorderpresentation-ready 'Critical' legislation being drawn up to ban conversion therapy in Alberta, advocate says By KIERAN LEAVITT StarMetro Edmonton Wed., Sept. 12, 2018 EDMONTON—Conversioniy, a controversial practice said to be used by groupssome religious being developed passes laterfall. NDP MLA for Edmonton -Castle Downs,#Goehring, said Wednesday that bringshe's been developing the legislation since LGBTQ+ and faith -based communities have asked her to it forward. https://www.thestar.com/ed monton/2018/09/ 12/critical-legislation-being-d rawn-u p-to-ban-conversion-thera py-in-al berta-advocate-says.html 1/5 9/13/2018 Critical' legislation being drawn up to ban conversion therapy in Alberta, advocate says I The Star 4111'/� ik, Pam Rocker works with people who have been through conversion therapy and says the legislation seeking to ban the practice is critical for saving lives. (SUPPLIED) "We've heard from the community that it's happening still and it's happening in Alberta,P3 she said during an interview. Conversion therapy is used to try and change how a person identifies in their gender or sexual orientation. There is no scientific evidence that the practice is effective. Pam Rocker has been working with individuals who have experienced conversion therapy for ten years and said "probably a month doesn't go by where I don't talk to somebody who's been severely affected https://www.thestar.com/edmonton/20l8/O9/l2/critical-legislation-being-drawn-up-to-ban-conversion-therapy-in-alberta-advocate-says.html 2/5 9/13/2018 'Critical' legislation being drawn up to ban conversion therapy in Alberta, advocate says I The Star She's the director of Affirming Connections, a group that seeks to work with faith - based communities looking to strengthen their ties to LGBTQ2S+ communities and she called the legislation "critical." "This is an intervention for people who I would call a vulnerable population," she said. "This is the only narrative they hear: that they're wrong, they will be alone forever, they're gonna go to hell, all of those things for (conversion therapy)." AHS unveils care initiatives to support gender minority communities Nova Scotia's Liberal government to ban conversion therapy for LGBTQ youth Vancouver's conversion therapy ban more than symbolic, experts say Conversion therapy is an underground phenomenon in Alberta and often goes under -reported, said Rocker. She added that the practice seeks to shame a person who identifies in an adverse way to their faith -based community and often that shame persists even when they're out of the situation. "They feel shamed for having gone through it and they feel like others might see them in a different way," she said. "The fact that it's sort of under the table shows that it's something that would be really controversial and so more and more churches are being more subversive about it — but they are still very much alive." Through her work, she said she's come across countless individuals who've ,cerienced conversion theraos v and mankv i wounded from -A of them are emotionallk it. By banning the use of conversion therapy, lives would be saved, she said. "This is a right now issue, this is the 2018 issue and it's a critical life and death issue," said Rocker. r �, a � qRsTons IM M mll�l nmmmylmnrf�f includes a letter written by Glenn Schaeffer, Presidentote Alberta -British Columbia District, to Minister of Education David Eggen outlining his support for conversion therapy. https://www.thestar.com/edmonton/20l8/O9/l2/critical-legislation-being-drawn-up-to-ban-conversion-therapy-in-alberta-advocate-says.html 3/5 9/13/2018 'Critical' legislation being drawn up to ban conversion therapy in Alberta, advocate says I The Star TMITY"T L jr as -uranF-TXFM7r 01f1'1_L11 a scxua orientation outside of heterosexual. "A person's gonads, along with all other bodily organs, as well as his or her personality, brain, and intellect do not originate in blind chance but are lovingly and deliberately created by God," he wrote. The letter was written in response to the Alberta government's school guidelines for "creating learning environments that respect diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions." The church expressed concern that if Lutheran schools did not use the guidelines that they wouldn't continue to get public funding or the government would force the schools to comply. Schaeffer was not available for comment on Wednesday but Eggen said in an emailed statement that "we will ensure that every student is safe, welcome an cared for at school no matter their gender identity or sexual orientation." 01 "I have been very clear: every school that accepts public money is expected to obey the law when it comes to providing safe and caring learning environments for students," he said Minister of Health Sarah Hoffman will be part of the further development for th(; [#)iece of legislation as well and said in a statement that she believes conversion therapy to be "a discriminatory, harmful and hateful practice." "I want to hear from those in the LGBTQ2+ community and invite them to continue writing to me on this important issue," she said. Kieran Leavitt is an Edmonton -based reporter. Follow him on Twitter: @kieranleavitt REPORT AN ERROR JOURNALISTIC STANDARDS ABOUT US Calgary, Alberta Ilead more about: Edmonton, https://www.thestar.co Wed rn onton 12018/09/1 2/criti ca 1-1 eg i sl atio n -bei ng -d rawn-u p -to -ban -co nve rsi on-th e ra py- i n -a I be rta-advocate-says . htm 1 4/5 9/13/2018 'Critical' legislation being drawn up to ban conversion therapy in Alberta, advocate says I The Star 531-11MMOTTM spe,ed Ilimits In residential areas 1110 MEMO W Copyright owned or licensed by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. All rights reserve d --- Republication or distribution of this content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Toronto Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. To order copies of Toronto Star articles, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com https://www.thestar.com/ed monton/201 8/09/12/critical-legisl ation-being-d rawn-u p-to-ban-conversion-thera py-in-al berta-advocate-says.html 5/5