Erenie Hiras and Glen Worrell reveal the pain of conversion practices

A landmark report has outlined the need for conversion practices to be banned in Tasmania as two Hobart residents describe how they lost the will to live after undergoing “therapy”. LATEST >>

A landmark report showing conversion practices have caused “severe harm” to Tasmanians was a blueprint for banning the practices, LGBTQ+ advocates say.

The Tasmanian Law Reform Institute on Tuesday released its final report outlining the need for reforms to several Tasmanian laws to respond to sexual orientation and gender identity conversion practices.

“The Institute received and accepted evidence that conversion practices are happening in Tasmania, that they have caused severe harm to people subjected to them and that they are a continuing risk to LGBTQA+ Tasmanians,” it said.

“The Institute recommends that Tasmanian law is reformed to more appropriately deal with these harms and risks.

“These harms often last for many years and trauma can persist for life for survivors.

“They also contributed to social stigma and discrimination towards and abuse against sexual and gender minorities.”

Conversion practices involve conduct including counselling that aims to “change, suppress or eradicate the sexual orientation or gender of another person”.

The 332-page report made 16 recommendations covering legal changes and providing redress to victims.

The key findings were that several Tasmanian laws should be reformed to address harms from SOGI conversion practices and that treating a person’s sexual orientation as a mental health condition is a conversion practice and should be made unlawful.

Rodney Croome, President of Equality Tasmania Picture: Linda Higginson

“The mainstream medical consensus now is that LGBTQA+ attributes are not faults or dysfunctions; conversion practices lack efficacy (they are not successful in doing what they claim to do in a safe or reliable way); and conversion practices involve serious risks of causing serious and lasting harm to those subject to them.

“Those beliefs supported abusive physical, psychiatric and psychological practices that caused profound and lasting harm to LGBTQA+ people.

The report said all peak health bodies and public health officers who responded to the inquiry called for the regulation and prohibition of conversion practices.

“The Mental Health Act should clarify that gender identity and gender expression are not mental illnesses and cannot be ‘treated’. Tasmanian law should more clearly require that the assessment and treatment of gender dysphoria comply with appropriate professional standards”, paper co-author Dr Martin Clark said.

Equality Tasmania president Rodney Croome welcomed the report and said it showed widespread support for banning conversion practices.

“We believe the TLRI’s recommendations are a strong, well-thought-out response to conversion practices that will help bring these practices to an end,” he said.

“The TLRI heard from both sides of the debate and makes a compelling case for ending conversion practices.”

“The TLRI has also addressed concerns that are raised about banning conversion practices, providing assurances that religious freedom and the work of health professionals acting within existing guidelines will not be impinged.”

Mr Croome said he was in discussion with MPs to “determine the best path forward” on implementing the recommendations.

Christians outraged over conversion therapy ban attempt

Outraged Christians are lashing out against an attempt to ban gender and sexual conversion therapy practices in Tasmania.

The outrage comes in response to a 332-page report from the Tasmanian Law Reform Institute, which recommends banning all gender and sexual orientation conversion practices.

A Catholic Archdiocese of Hobart spokesperson said it was preparing a “detailed” response to the report, which was released on Tuesday.

“The Catholic Church in Tasmania is deeply concerned about the content and recommendations of the TLRI Report: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Conversion Practices,” the spokesperson said.

“Given its length (300+ pages), the Church is undertaking a detailed review.”

The Australian Christian Lobby’s Tasmanian Director Christopher Brohier is demanding the report be rejected outright.

Mr Brohier dismissed the report as “ill-conceived” and based on “anecdotal evidence” from LGBTQ+ activist organisations.

“The report gives little or no weight to the evidence of harm done to children through gender transition treatment and downplays the considerable, globally available, evidence that a ‘wait and see’ approach to gender confused children is in their best interests,” Mr Brohier said.

“Parents and medical practitioners must be allowed to choose what is in the best interests of their children and patients, not be dictated to by activist groups.” - Kenji Sato

Conversion practices led to life-long pain for two Tasmanians

For Erenie Hiras and Glen Worrell the emotional scars from conversion practices run deep.

Ms Hiras, 37, who had numerous exorcisms performed on her so she would be ‘freed of the spirit of lesbianism” said she lost the will to live.

“The hard truth is that conversion practices very nearly killed me and I know it is the same for most other survivors,” she said.

“The damage caused has been immeasurable.

“I’ve spent years recovering, suffering regular nightmares and memories that still traumatise me.

“No one should ever have to go through what I went through.

“No one should feel so tormented, be treated in such a harmful way and be rejected and discriminated against because of who they love.”

Growing up in a traditional Greek family in Hobart she was attracted to girls in high school and her teenage years were “dark and very lonely”.

Glen Worrell and Erenie Hiras who were both subjected to conversion “therapy” in earlier life at Hobart parliament. Picture: Chris Kidd

“I couldn’t be gay. It simply was not an option so I kept it a secret, especially from family.”

When she was 16 she became part of a Pentecostal church but was told she had to “stop being gay”.

In 2005 she attended Mercy Ministries a Christian women’s home in Queensland for nine months.

“It was like a live in Jesus boot camp for young women living with life controlling issues and was kind of a cross between the army, a psych ward and a convent.

“I just couldn’t understand why God would allow me to experience such intense love for another person but then forbid me from being with them.

“They prayed for my soul like I was headed straight to hell - all because I loved a woman.

“I became really unwell. I went to sleep praying that I would never wake up.

“I would wake up and sob because God hadn’t taken me through the night. I lost my joy, my peace, my will to live.”

Mr Worrell, 54, who grew up in north-west New South Wales, says he’s both Christian and gay.

Glen Worrell and Erenie Hiras who were both subjected to conversion “therapy” in earlier life at Hobart parliament. Picture: Chris Kidd

“I attended a boys’ only boarding school, where even a whiff of being gay would get you crucified.

“In my early twenties I was attending a church, where I finally confessed my struggles, and I was told that ‘things could be done’ to help me.”

Mr Worrell was involved in conversion practices for more than 20 years with most done in Tasmania from 2006-18.

“I remained involved, even though the celibacy, the sterility of lack of intimacy in my life, and the pretense of false platonic heterosexuality in a couple of brief relationships with women almost killed me.

“The loneliness was interminable.”

Mr Worrell wants legislation to stop conversion practices and a government body established to investigate and prosecute, if necessary, people who force others to undergo such practices.

“These gay conversion practices are deceitful, damaging, abusive, and wrong.”