Bishops back a ban on conversion therapy

THE Bench of Bishops in the Church in Wales has welcomed the Welsh Government’s recent announcement that it is committed to banning conversion therapy in all its forms.

The Bench of Bishops has reiterated support for the LGBTQI+ community and for any action that protects them from an abusive and damaging practice.

A statement issued last year was repeated: “The Bench of Bishops in the Church in Wales welcomes the announcement in the Queen’s Speech that the UK Government will ban gay conversion therapy.

“We believe that human sexuality is a gift of God to be cherished and honoured. It is an intrinsic part of who we are as human beings and an expression of God’s glorious diversity in creation.

“Anything which seeks to suggest that there is something inherently wrong or sinful in those who are non-heterosexual or which seeks to force people to try and change their sexuality is, we believe, wrong. It is both abusive and traumatising, as those who have experienced such ‘therapy’ can testify. We join our voices with the Royal College of Psychiatrists and other healthcare professional in asserting that the practice of gay conversion therapy inflicts lifelong damage on those who are forced to undergo it and has no place in the modern world.

“We urge the Senedd to bring in robust legislation that will ban conversion therapy in all its forms, thereby protecting LGBTQI+ people in Wales from this abusive and damaging practice.”

The statement was signed by the Archbishop of Wales, Andrew John; the Bishop of St Asaph, Gregory Cameron; the Bishop of St Davids, Joanna Penberthy; the Bishop of Llandaff, June Osborne; the Bishop of Monmouth, Cherry Vann; the Bishop of Swansea and Brecon, John Lomas; and the Assistant Bishop in Bangor, Mary Stallard.