Ireland Equality Minister Seeks to Ban Conversion Therapy by 2024
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Roderic O’Gorman, Equality Minister for Ireland, expressed his desire to see an end to the “cruel” and “exploitative” practice of conversion therapy by the end of the year. Openly gay, O’Gorman is committed to joining other European countries in banning the process, bringing forward plans to prohibit it through means of new legislation.
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Conversion therapy is a scientifically disproved method of attempting to change the inherent sexuality and gender identity of an individual. Practiced in many countries across the globe, thousands of LGBTQ+ people are tricked into believing they need to change who they are and coerced into unjust methods intended to convert them.
Speaking to the Irish Mirror, Roderic O’Gorman referenced the "devastating” impact the practice can have on people.
“I’d hope to bring the legislation into the Dail next year,” he said. “Obviously, legislation takes time, but I think it’s possible we could have it passed by the end of the year. That’s certainly what I’d be working towards, but it could drift into 2024.
“It doesn’t happen a lot in Ireland, but when it does happen, its impact can be really devastating on people. Particularly on young people who are just coming out and exploring or understanding their own sexual identity. To masquerade where they’re unhappy or nervous that that can be changed, I think it’s just so exploitative.”
O’Gorman also referred to the personal impact implementing this change would have, displaying passion for bringing about an end to the cruel process.
“From the point of view of having some understanding of the damage that it can do to people, it is something I feel strongly about and something I really want to progress as Equality Minister.”
This legislation would follow on from the UK’s decision to only partially ban conversion therapy, with transgender conversion practices still remaining legal. Various U-turns have since occurred from the Conservative government following on from campaigns to see all forms of conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ people banned. As of January 2023, the ban is still yet to be implemented in the UK, despite their initial aim to have prohibited it by 2018.
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