A former pastor who underwent conversion therapy for more than a decade is celebrating the passing of a bill banning its practice.
The bill was passed in Parliament on Tuesday night after 112 MPs voted in favour. Eight National Party members voted against its passing.
The Human Rights Commission’s Andre Afamasaga called it a “wonderful acknowledgement” which “should be celebrated, that conversion practices can finally become unlawful in New Zealand”.
“Now this law, hopefully, goes somewhere to recognise the painful, destructive and sometimes fatal consequences that sufferers of those practices have had over these years.”
READ MORE: 'Validated' - Activist welcomes conversion practices ban
Afamasaga revealed he was a survivor after being subjected to the practice for 15 years.
“I underwent these practices for 15 years and I put myself through those but that was definitely on the back of coercion and that feeling that I wasn’t good enough,” he said.
“Just from reading my Bible and the messages that I was hearing, the people around me, society – the message sent to me was that I wasn’t good enough so I subjected myself to those practices for 15 years and some people, unfortunately, never make it out on the other side.
“I wish this legislation was around when I was growing up and I know I speak on behalf of countless others, survivors as well, so this is a really welcome thing.”
The vast majority of MPs voted in favour of the bill. (Source: Breakfast)
He said the bill sends a message that “we are free to be who we are and that we should not have to fear whatever setting we go into”, whether that be a family setting or a places such as a doctor’s office or church.
“We should be able to go into and be free to be ourselves without fear of discrimination and also just fear that someone might not see us in the same way, may see us as defective or broken or something that needs to be fixed about us.
“This legislation sends a nice, strong message that in fact, we are fine the way that we are and not only fine – more than that – we are to be celebrated and that’s all humans so this is a win for human rights, actually.”
The new legislation will also allow the Human Rights Commission to expand its complaints functions over six months, meaning people who “have potentially experienced conversion practices will be able to lodge a complaint” with the Commission for mediation.
They can also go to the Human Rights Review Tribunal if a successful resolution cannot be found.
The Commission will also be given the opportunity to offer prevention and education services “so that we can actually address the conditions that led to conversion practices, this belief that underpins conversion practices – that people should be changed or must be changed in order to affect a better life for them”.
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