Bishops welcome conversion therapy ban commitment
A statement from the bishops
The Bench of Bishops in the Church in Wales welcomes the Welsh Government’s recent announcement that it is committed to banning conversion therapy in all its forms. We wish to reiterate our support for the LGBTQI+ community and for any action that protects them from this abusive and damaging practice, as we made clear in our statement last year:
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 traumatizing; 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 life-long 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 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
The Assistant Bishop in Bangor, Mary Stallard